For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Cor 8:9

Sometimes we can look at Christmas without fully comprehending what Jesus Christ did.

For he is God, the almighty, the creator and sustainer of the universe. He is worthy of all praise and glory.

Yet, for us, he became a man. The whole idea of the creator becoming one of the created is amazing – it is incomprehensible for him to even become an angel, let alone a man. Yet the immortal becoming mortal, he took on our frailty. He didn’t even become a high ranking man, like an emperor or a king, but the son of a carpenter.

He not only become a man, but lived a perfect life, setting us an example and telling us what God expects of us. That was not his only mission though, for he went to the cross. He who was without sin, become sin – for us. Not that we deserved anything, for if anything we owe everything to God, but by the amazing grace of God, he loved us and gave us what we did not deserve. For through the sacrifice of his Son, he freed us from the punishment and power of sin. Through his Son, we are given peace with God.

None of this can be achieved through our own works. If we try to gain peace with God through our own merits, we will fail and our sin will be dealt with.

Only by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ can we be justified before God and so be at peace with him. For God did everything necessary, for there was nothing else which could save us. Indeed, there is nothing else which is greater than what Jesus Christ did.

If we are God’s people, purchased with the blood of Christ, we should persevere to the end. Even towards the end of Nehemiah, God’s people lost sight of the end and made many mistakes – even repeating mistakes of their forefathers. Yet, they had started so well. They had neglected the worship of God, and the keeping of his commandments. They neglected the sabbath and married people who knew nothing of God.

God is gracious and merciful, and does not deal with his people as they deserve. For they were not saved by their works, but through faith. Even before the coming of the Messiah, the work of the Messiah had paid the price for all God’s people. Through this, Nehemiah was able to call God, “My God”. He had been put in a right relationship with God.

God does not leave his people to fend for themselves either, but works in them by his Spirit to enable them to do good works, that he might be glorified. Eventually, the people of God were returned to the will of God, for God enables them to do his will.