This final and Fourth Sunday in Advent preps us to joyfully anticipate the fulfillment of the virgin birth of Immanuel—Jesus’ name meaning “God with us.” Christmas celebrates God’s gift of this Baby of Bethlehem.
Yet, we don’t allow Jesus’ humble human beginning to overshadow the truth that He is the Son of God from eternity. In this mystery of Jesus, the second person of the Godhead made flesh, we recall why He had to assume this human nature. Jesus had to subject Himself under God’s holy law to live it perfectly as our Substitute (Leviticus 19:2; Matthew 5:17-18; 5:48). Jesus had to die as the God-man on the cross to pay for sin (Psalm 49:7). Jesus had to rise from death to assure He conquered our sin and defeated death’s sting (Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 15).
As we stand at the threshold of Christmas, let us never forget that Christ must come to save us. Paul penned why: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all...” (1 Timothy 2:5-6) Indeed, Jesus has come to us: His Bethlehem birth; He continues to come to us through His word and sacraments; and He will come to us again when He returns on Judgment Day to take us both glorified body and soul to heaven.