Tomorrow we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Have you ever wondered why Jesus was born in a humble stable, surrounded by domestic animals? Why shepherds, considered among the lowest members of society, were the first to hear about the Christ child’s birth? Why Jesus grew up and lived in poverty? The truth is, that Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, did not come to conquer but to serve during His first coming. He came to serve and to save.

Everything surrounding the birth of Jesus pointed to Him being a Servant King. While Jesus could have come as a conquering King surrounded by an army of angels, when He left Heaven to be with us on earth, the Bible tells us that Jesus “emptied Himself” of all His glory because of love. Jesus came to die in our place on the cross, saving us from our sins, and reconciling us to God the Father. In Mark 10:45, Jesus said, “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus spent His life and ministry serving others and giving hope to the hopeless. He healed the sick, cast out demons, made the lame walk, and the blind see. He fed thousands. He protected children. He raised the dead. And at the Last Supper, before He was captured and led off to be crucified, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet — even the feet of Judas who Jesus knew would soon betray Him (John 13:1–17). And when He completed washing their feet, Jesus said, “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13:15).

Jesus emptied Himself to serve others and to be obedient to the will of God. He calls each of us to do the same. No matter what our circumstances, as followers of Christ, we are to emulate Him, serving one another in humility and love. When Jesus returns at His Second Coming, He will come as the Lion of Judah to claim victory over evil. Until that day, He calls each of us to serve each other and the least, the last, and the lost. We are to bring hope to the hopeless and offer testimony to His Good News.

I pray that God richly blesses you and yours this Christmas and that you find joy in 2023 by being the hands and feet of our glorious Servant King.

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“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man,
    He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8)