Rejecting The One They Needed (A Christmas Devotional)
By: Kristen L. McNulty
Reprint rights available on request. Email the author at kristenmcnulty@hotmail.com.
For centuries, the Jewish people waited. From the prophets of old, they had heard the promises of a King who would bring justice, restore the throne of David, and who would lead them into a new age of peace. We can only imagine that in the quiet of their homes, while sitting around the fire, or in the temple courts, they spoke of Him with anticipation. The Messiah. The Anointed One. The One who was their hope, even in times of hardship, difficulty, and despair.
But when the Messiah came, He did not come as they expected. The long-awaited Saviour, the One who they had prayed for, arrived in a way no one could have imagined. He was not placed into a crib in a Palace, but instead here was a baby laying in a manger likely in a barn, surrounded by the lowly and the outcast. His birth did not usher in peace in the land for those living under Roman oppression, no instead, the brutal reach of the empire went into homes and committed unspeakable acts of evil.
Unfounded Expectations
Jewish texts from that same time period describe expectations of the Messiah being the one who would rebuild the Temple, bring the Jewish people back together, and restore the nation of Israel's glory. So imagine the response when these people who were looking for someone of might to lead them to victory, find Jesus' message was not one of military conquests, but of love, forgiveness, and building a Kingdom that was not of this world. He didn't come to overthrow kings, but to humble hearts. He didn't wield a sword of iron, but the sword of truth. He didn't seek glory or power, but instead offered Himself as a servant, even to the point of death.
The Jewish people were waiting for a Second David, a King who would lead them to victory against the Roman empire who occupied their land. Instead they got a Saviour who spent His time ministering to the lost and least of these, rather than planning conquests on the battlefield.
So what happened? Some saw past their own misconceptions and were still able to identify Jesus as the Messiah. Those like Simeon and Anna, Mary, Elizabeth, Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men, had their lives changed forever by their encounters with Jesus. But for the majority of Israel, Jesus was just another baby born in the nation and His arrival went unnoticed and uncelebrated. Instead of parades in the streets, embracing the long awaited Saviour, from what we can glean in the Scriptures and history books, the birth of Jesus went widely unrecognized by the people living in the very land where He was born. Today, over two thousand years later, they are still waiting even though the truth is, the Messiah has already come and His name is Jesus. It just goes to show us that God is so much greater than we could hope or imagine and being God, He cannot be contained to the ideals of men.
Will The Same Be Said Of Us?
Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies about the Messiah, found in their own sacred texts, but because He wasn't who they wanted and His message wasn't one they wanted, they rejected Him. Will the same be said of you and I?
While it is easy to point the finger at those in first-century Israel and wonder how in the world they could have possibly missed the Messiah sitting amongst them? Or even worse, not miss Him, but outright reject Him? But the truth is, many of us do the same. Let’s just think about our own lives for a second. We know as followers of Jesus, we are called to die to self and follow Jesus wherever He leads, shining His light to a dark world. But how often do we try to add conditions or expectations to our obedience? We act like God owes us something and when we feel He isn’t coming through on His side of the deal, we protest and sadly, some even walk away from the faith altogether when they discover God isn’t who they expected Him to be or He doesn’t do what they expected Him to do.
We tell ourselves lies like God just wants me to be happy, that wealth is something we should have a birthright to, that God is our genie in the bottle there to answer our every prayer and take away every hardship. But in scripture we see a different story.
One where you can be a follower of Jesus and be unjustly put in prison.
One where you can be a follower of Jesus and have prayers for healing not answered with a yes.
One where you can have God's favour while not having a large bank account.
One where you can be a child of the King whose life isn't easy.
God's Plans are Greater Than Our Hopes and Dreams
Today if you are finding your faith on the verge of shipwreck as your expectations about what God should do and what is actually happening in your life right now, this message is for you. We may expect God to work in certain ways, ways that fit our understanding, our timing, and our desires, but that isn't what the Christmas story teaches us. The Christmas story shows us that God's plans are so much greater than our hopes and dreams. The Christmas story shows us that the very answer to our prayers may come in a package we want to reject, but instead should embrace.
Jesus was the Messiah the Jewish people needed. They thought they needed a conquering king, and while perhaps that would have been great for Israel as a nation, they had a bigger problem that needed a one-time out of this world solution. The problem was sin and the answer was Jesus.
God saw their struggle to keep the law. He saw their attempts to cover their sin with sacrifices time and time again. He saw His children walking in spiritual darkness with no light. After more than four hundred years without a voice of even a prophet to guide their way, God didn’t choose to send another human to be His voice, instead He sent His son. The incarnation when God clothed Himself in human skin in order to rescue us in the midst of our darkness.
Prophecy from Isaiah
Flipping over to a prophecy about the Messiah from Isaiah 9:2:
"The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine."
Isaiah 9:2
The people were walking in darkness, so God sent His light. While the people of Israel wanted a warrior, instead they received a saviour who would come down from heaven to earth to bridge the gap between God and man, making forgiveness of sin not something to be earned, but a gift to be received. Making a way for residence in a kingdom in heaven that far outshines anything this world could have to offer.
Instead of coming as a military conquering hero who would bring the destruction of war filled with death in a fight for freedom, Jesus came to save not the nation, but each person living in it. Where they wanted a war that could have brought death, Jesus came to give abundant life. Where they wanted a king who would conquer, Jesus was a king who served the least of these.
The Messiah They Needed
Jesus was the Messiah they needed, even though He wasn’t the Messiah they expected. He knew that true victory would not come through political triumph, but through the ultimate sacrifice of the cross. He knew that real peace would not be found in the absence of enemies, but in the reconciliation of sinners to a holy God.
And that, my friends, is the story of Christmas. It’s the story of my life. And I pray that it’s the story of yours.
The Christmas story is more than just a historical account; it’s a personal invitation to each of us. Just as the people of Israel had preconceived ideas about what the Messiah should look like, we too can fall into the trap of expecting God to act in certain ways, according to our own understanding and desires.
Trusting In God's Bigger Plan
But the message of Christmas calls us to let go of our limited vision and trust in God’s bigger plan. Maybe you’ve treated Jesus like a figure in a story, or a nice moral teacher to add to your collection of beliefs. But He is so much more than that. The biggest question you will ever answer in your life is "where do I stand with Jesus?" because where you will spend eternity is directly linked with your answer to that question. If you’re unsure about who Jesus really is, don’t put off answering that question any longer. This Christmas season, take some time to dive into the Bible with fresh eyes and find the answer to that question. The Bible is filled with words that can change your life, not just for eternity, but here and now too. Let it speak to you and show you the truth of who Jesus is and how Christmas is more than a holiday, it’s more than a family time, or a day off work. Christmas is when the Lord of Lord and King of Kings came down to this earth as a baby to live and die for you and for me.
And for those of you who already believe, if life isn’t going as you expected- if your dreams are on hold, if your prayers haven’t yet been answered, or if hardship has become something you are only too well acquainted with- remember that Jesus is the answer. He doesn’t promise us a pain free existence, we don’t get to write the story of our lives, but when we surrender the pen to Him and follow Him instead of ourselves, we find a companion for the journey who never leaves or forsakes us. His name Emmanuel literally means God with us. He is with you in the darkness and in the light and you don’t have to wait until you get to heaven to experience His presence and peace. Call on Him, right now, wherever you are.
Choose To Embrace The Saviour
So this Christmas, let’s choose to embrace the Saviour who came in a way we didn’t expect and who offers us more than we could have hoped for. Let’s trust in God’s plan, even when it doesn’t look the way we envisioned. And when life feels overwhelming, let’s remember that we don’t face it alone.
"For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.
The government will rest on His shoulders.
And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6
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