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Often when we study God's Word, in particular the New Testament, looking back into the Old Testament gives us clarification and a fresh perspective. Such is the case with the account of Christ’s birth recorded in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. God’s work throughout the Old Testament clarifies and highlights the importance of the Messiah born in Bethlehem. As we look back to the connection between three OT prophecies and the birth of Christ, I pray it will cause each of us to celebrate Christmas with a fresh perspective, even though it is a story that is so familiar to us.

Three reasons to celebrate the gift of the promised deliverer (cf. Rom. 11:26-27):

1. We are no longer enslaved to sin (vs. 13-15)
- Jesus, the King of the Jews came as a baby to launch a new and greater ‘exodus’

- In the OT, God saved His people by miraculously delivering them from Egypt. In the NT, God miraculously saves His people by bringing the promised deliverer out of Egypt.

- In Exodus God delivered his people from enslavement to the Egyptians and in the Christmas story, He sent His Son, the promised deliverer to free His people from enslavement to sin (cf. Mt. 1:21; Rom. 6:6-7; Titus 2:11-14)

REJOICE! Jesus came at Christmas as our deliverer to free us from being enslaved to sin. Are you still enslaved to sin? Are you unable to say no to the desires of your flesh or are you experiencing the thrill of God’s grace, empowering you to say no to ungodliness and yes to righteousness?

2. Our lives are not HOPE-less (vs. 16-18)
- Jeremiah gives God’s people good news; God does not forget His people and through a new covenant His own will not be left HOPE-less (cf. Jer. 31:16-17, 31-34)

- Jesus, the newborn King came to be the mediator of the New Covenant (cf. Lk. 22:20; Heb. 9:14-15)

- Everyone who places their faith in Jesus, the promised deliverer, has a bright future filled with HOPE

REJOICE, Jesus came at Christmas as our deliverer to enable His people to experience a life that is not HOPE-less. We can live with confident expectation of what God has promised and our confidence is grounded in His faithfulness. Are you enjoying the strength that comes from your hope in Christ or are you feeling HOPE-less? (cf. Ps. 33:20-22)

3. We are saved from God’s wrath (vs. 19-23)
- We were all by nature enemies of God (Col. 1:21) and deserving of wrath (God’s just judgment of our sinful nature, Eph. 2:1-3)

- We were all, by nature, undeserving of being saved from God’s wrath (Eph. 2:4-9)

- The good news of Christmas is that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom.10:13)

REJOICE, Jesus came at Christmas as our deliverer to redeem us and save us from God’s wrath (Rom 8:1-2). Are you confident that you have been saved from God’s wrath? If so, does your whole life reflect that you are forever grateful for His deliverance?

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