R Yes! Please send me a copy of W ho Do You Say I Am?
FIND OUT MORE
Everyone who places their trust in Jesus enters a lasting and secure relationship with God. That’s the hope of Christmas; it gives us a new foundation for our lives, one that isn’t based on what happens in this unpredictable world, but on God’s promises to us in the Bible. Having Jesus with us doesn’t mean that everything will be perfect, but it means we can have his supernatural peace, no matter what life throws at us. The peace he gives comes from the promise that he is with us, he will provide for us and he will work everything out for good—even the seemingly disastrous stuff.
R Yes! Please send me a copy of Our Daily Bread Sample Edition. ZK734
There’s so much more to discover about the Christmas story and the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We want to encourage you to attend a local church during the festive season to find out more about the God who brings real peace into our daily worries.
Our Daily Bread Ministries is here for you. For over fifty years we’ve been helping people in the UK open up the Bible to meet the God who cares. Follow @ourdailybreadeurope on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok for daily encouragements. And visit odb.org to see all the resources we have available to help you get to know Jesus for yourself.
when
THE HOPE OF Christmas I
t comes with the first wisps of autumnal chill—and sometimes even before. No sooner has the summer BBQ aisle been dismantled than the festive tubs of chocolate appear. Christmas. It’s a marketer’s dream.
Tis the season for glittering signs and catchy slogans: “Unwrap the magic”, “Let it snow” and “The most wonderful time of the year.” It’s kitschy and overdone, but somehow never gets old. A drive through town reveals that Churches have different slogans, offering the “real meaning of Christmas”. A silhouette of a couple kneeling over a baby in a manger usually reads, “Joy to the World” or “Peace on Earth.” But are these just more marketing slogans? How can the ancient story of baby Jesus promise peace to a world as divided and war-torn as ours?
That first Christmas was anything but peaceful. The world Jesus entered had much of the same chaos as our world today. Israel, where Jesus was born, was ruled by the corrupt and selfish King Herod. When he heard of the baby people were calling “King”, Herod was determined to kill him. Hundreds of babies were murdered in Bethlehem at his command as his jealous madness became unhinged. A whole community was left utterly broken in grief. Jesus’ family fled to Egypt to escape the slaughter. They lost their home, community and identity as they sought to survive as refugees. Jesus’ birth is not a peaceful story because it is no fairytale. It happened for real in this world where people and governments do horrible things and life is often unbearably painful.
But the Christmas story offers peace because of who it is about. There was a reason people called baby Jesus “King”. His birth was expected. It was foretold in detail hundreds of years
beforehand. He would be the ultimate king; the “Prince of Peace”, the one whose very nature is to bring peace.
As an adult, Jesus healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind and raised the dead. His works revealed that his eternal kingdom had entered this world. He even defeated death when he rose from the grave after his execution, opening the way to eternal life for all who trust in him. He lived in this chaotic world, so he understands our fears and anxieties. But he also demonstrated his absolute authority over all the things that rob us of our peace.
Maybe the world is getting crazier. Maybe it’s always been like this. But God promises in the Bible that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” When our peace is dependent on our circumstances, it’s fragile; and we are understandably anxious. We’re subject to an uncontrollable, volatile world where the most unpredictable things can happen and life can steer out of control. This world can only offer us peace that lasts a moment . . . until something else goes wrong.
But the Christmas story offers us a peace beyond understanding. Peace that guards our hearts despite our circumstances. Jesus came to our unsettled world to give us something no one else can give: “I am leaving you with a gift” he told his friends, “peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
We would also love to send you a copy of Who Do You Say I Am? This short collection of thoughts from Our Daily Bread you consider and answer this important question Jesus asked about himself. Because if Jesus is everything he claimed to be, then knowing him is the most extraor dinary privilege we could ever experience.
