You have probably heard it said that "death is a part of life." But that is not true! Death is a part of sin. Our sin caused death, not just physical death but spiritual death or separation from God. But God loved us, his children so much that Jesus was born in the flesh to die for us to set us free from the bondage of our sin. In other words, Jesus died so that we don’t have to. And when we believe in him, we can live free from the fear of death!

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SCRIPTURES

Hebrews 2:14-16 | Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.

Romans 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 3:22-25 | We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.

Romans 12:1-2 | And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Read these scriptures to see what Jesus underwent when he was born to die for us.

Luke 1:26-38

Luke 2:1-20

Luke 22, 23, 24

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DISCUSSION

-Reflecting on the Bible reading, why did God become man? Why would He die for His creation that sinned against him?

-Romans 3 shows us that all have sinned. What do Romans 6 and Hebrews explain about what happens to us because of our sin? What does Hebrews explain about what Jesus did to fix our problem?

-How does Romans 3 say people are made right with God and forgiven for sin? How is believing in Jesus and His sacrifice different than just knowing about it?

-How does knowing that Jesus was Born to die to pay for your sin make you feel?

-How should true belief in Jesus change the way you live? What do you need to do in your life personally to show your love to Jesus for all that he has done for you or as a result of living out real belief? (Be specific)

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APPLY

Share life today!
Think back to all Jesus did, why He did it, and who He did it for. Don’t keep the hope of life in Christ to yourself-- share it with someone today!

Share Jesus
With family members you’ll visit with today

With neighbors as you deliver Christmas cookies or treats

With people you encounter working on Christmas day (bring them hot chocolate and share this devotion as something they can do later today!)