“Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21)
One of the misconceptions that some people can have about following Jesus is that it is a life that is supposed to be easy with no bumps along the road. However, if we look closely in the Gospels, Jesus taught that this is not the case. The cost of discipleship includes the following:
- We must deny ourselves (Mt. 16:24, Lk. 9:57-62)
- The world will hate us (Jn. 15:18-19)
- We are to be like sheep among wolves (Mt. 10:16)
With this in mind, how do we boldly live the Christian life? Do we rely on ourselves? According to the author of Hebrews, the answer is a resounding no. On their own our deeds are nothing but filthy rags in the sight of God (Is. 64:6). We cannot save ourselves because we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). Thankfully through Jesus’ unique sacrifice on the cross, we have a way to be reconciled with God. No matter the peaks and valleys we face in our lives, Jesus will always be the Great Shepherd. Nothing can snatch us from his hand (Jn. 10:28). We have assurance that he will:
- Provide with what we need (Ps. 23:1)
- Never leave or abandon us (v. 5)
- Give us strength to be content regardless of circumstance (Phil. 4:13)
As we celebrate the season of Advent, let us remember and celebrate the blessings that Jesus’ miraculous birth enabled us to have. Because of what Jesus has done, God can equip us to do his will and work in us to live a life that glorifies him.