THE SEED
”And she brought forth her firstborn Son, … in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.“ Luke 2:7 NKJV
The manger depicts the humble birth of Christ. However, the manger is a reminder of a greater purpose, pointing to the cross. The sacrificial ultimate purpose of the Son of God was fulfilled on the cross. Though born in the manger, the manger could not dwindle His glory, instead, it became a place of proclamation and propagation of Christ’s divine glory. Also, the criminal death on the cross could not tarnish His glory, rather the glory became known to all through Jesus’s sacrificial death on the cross and His resurrection. In our understanding as Christ’s true followers, Jesus had gone through all situations for us; from birth till the time of death. Nothing was left undone by Him. Hence our beliefs and acknowledgement of the truth give us the understanding that if Jesus’ glory could not be covered by His place of birth, (the manger) we have the living hope that our glory cannot be determined by environmental and family factors that work together to dwindle people’s glory. And death for us becomes our passage to the promised eternal glory. Beloved, in this Christmas season, let the vision of the manger lead you to the cross if you have not been truly there. The baby in the manger was born to be the Saviour on the Cross, taking upon Himself our sins and offering the hope of salvation.
BIBLE READINGS: John 19:17-22
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, give me the perfect understanding of the connection between the manger and the cross, where God’s love and redemption paths crossed. Amen
IBÙJẸ ẸRAN ATI ÀGBÉLÉBÙ
IRUGBIN NAA
“O si bi àkọ́bí rẹ̀ ọmọkùnrin, o si fi oja we e, o si tẹ̀ ẹ sínú ibùjẹ ràn; nítorí tí àyè kò sí fún wọ́n nínú ilé èrò” Luku 2: 7
Ibùjẹ ẹran ṣe afihan ibi irẹlẹ ti Kristi. Sibẹsibẹ, ibùjẹ ẹran jẹ oluran -nileti ti idi nla kan, ti n tọka si Agbelebu. Ète láti fi ọmọ Ọlọ́run rú ẹbọ ṣẹ, lórí Agbelebu. Bí a tilẹ̀ bí i sí ibùjẹ ẹran, ibùjẹ ẹran náà kò lè dín ògo rẹ̀ kù, dípò bẹ́ẹ̀, ó di ibi ìkéde àti ìpolongo ògo atọrunwa ti Kristi. Pẹlupẹlu, iku bí ọdaràn lori agbelebu ko le ba ogo Rẹ jẹ, dipo eleyi ògo naa di mimọ fun gbogbo eniyan nipasẹ ìrúbọ iku Jesu lori agbelebu ati ajinde Rẹ. Nínú òye wa gẹ́gẹ́ bí ọmọlẹ́yìn tòótọ́ ti Kristi, Jésù ti la gbogbo onírúurú ìṣòro koja fún wa; láti bí bi Rẹ̀ títí di ìgbà ikú Rẹ̀. Ko si ohun ti a kọ sílẹ̀ nipa Rẹ̀ láì ṣé. Nípa bẹ́ẹ̀, ìgbàgbọ́ wa àti jíjẹ́wọ́ òtítọ́, fún wa ní òye pé bí a kò bá lè bo ògo Jésù mọlẹ nípa irú ìbí ti a gbé bi i (ni ibùjẹẹran) a ní ìrètí ìyè, pé ògo wa kò lè ṣe ìdíwọ̀n ogo wa; pẹ̀lú àyíká àti bí ìdílé tí o ńṣiṣẹ́ papọ̀ láti dín ògo ènìyàn kù. Ati iku Rẹ̀ fun wa di ọ̀nà fún wa si ogo ayeraye, ti a ṣeleri. Olufẹ, ni akoko Keresimesi yii, jẹ ki iran ibùjẹ ẹran tọ ọ lọ si ibi agbelebu ti o ko ba ti wa nibẹ nitõtọ. Ọmọ ọwọ́ ti o wa ninu ibujẹ ẹran ni a bi lati jẹ Olugbala lori Agbelebu, ti o gbe awọn ẹṣẹ wa le ara Rẹ, lati funni ní ireti igbala.
BIBELI KIKA: Jòhánù 19:17-22
ADURA: Jesu Oluwa, fun mi ni oye pipe nipa asopọ laarin ibùjẹ ẹran ati agbelebu, nibiti ifẹ Ọlọrun ati awọn ọna irapada ti kọja. Amin