Luke 2 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
That flock of sheep sitting in the field probably had something in common with the babe in the manger.
Bethlehem sits about six miles from Jerusalem where the temple was. The sheep in the fields, more than likely, were being raised to be a sacrifice. At Passover people flooded into Jerusalem, they needed a lamb without flaw for their sacrifice.
The babe in the manger would grow up to be the only perfect human. This man would lay down his life as our Passover lamb.
And on the day of His birth, the shepherds were called by the Angels to view the new born baby who would be the final Passover Lamb required.
John 1 29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
I am constantly amazed that Christ chose to leave heaven to be a sacrifice for me. He came to be the final passover lamb. I am in awe constantly just at the thought he was willing to leave heaven, but to come knowing that he faced being the passover sacrifice. That is just amazing.
John 3 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The Babe in the manger was your gift from God. The Father provided the Lamb to be sacrificed for your sins.
Genesis 22:8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb or the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
Prayer: Thank Jesus for coming to earth, for being our Passover lamb, for giving us the comforter.
Meditation: Think about what it would like to be in heaven and then to leave for earth. Think about the love Jesus had for us to be willing to sacrifice himself to build a bridge between us and God.
Action: Write a Thank You note to Jesus for what his coming to be a sacrifice has meant for me in my here and now.
Fourth Day Adventures 