Peace

Matthew 1:21

“You shall call His name Jesus.” Jesus, literally: “God saves.” He will be called “God is salvation” because He will save the people from their sins. Where sin broke the peace between God and humanity and replaced it with enmity, brokenness, separation, and chaos, Jesus has come to save us from it. To rescue us from it. To restore the relationship between God and humanity.

Jesus, who is our peace, brings peace between us and God as He does the work of saving us from our sin. It took Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection to save us from our sin—God, our salvation, coming to be the sacrifice necessary for our peace. This is the severity of our sin, depth of our brokenness, that Christ has come to bring peace to. He has come to save us from our sin. Our sin led to death, but His sacrifice for our sin leads to our salvation and our peace. Christ has made it so we who were at war with God in our sin are now at peace with God. His promise of His presence with us is proof of our peace with God. Christ stands with us—our salvation, our peace—having taken away our sin and the death we deserved and giving us salvation and life. His name is Jesus—God Saves.

Prayer:

God, teach us to remember the work of Jesus. He saves us from our sin. God, help us to remember the severity of our sin and the significance of the saving work of Jesus Christ. In this season, don’t let us forget who Christ has done. Don’t let us forget that God saves.

Question to consider:

Have you trusted in Jesus for salvation? If not - why not? He is the only one who saves us from our sin. If you have, how do you need to remember the peace your salvation brings daily?