December 10, 2025
- djohnstoncc
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
WHAT WE NEEDED
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“But the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!’”
Luke 2:10–11 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
On that first Christmas morning, Luke tells us there were shepherds out in the fields watching over their flocks. Shepherds were considered among the lowest in society. Their constant movement and inability to keep the religious purity laws caused many to overlook—even dismiss—them.
Yet it was to these shepherds that heaven sent its announcement. Not to the powerful or the influential. Not to priests or political leaders. The good news of the Messiah’s arrival was delivered first to humble, ordinary people.
After the angel shared the news, a great company of angels filled the sky. Imagine it: an explosion of heavenly worship breaking into the quiet night, with nothing but sheep and shepherds as the congregation.
They declared, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased” (Luke 2:14).
This peace was possible because a Savior had been born. The promise God made as far back as Eden was beginning to unfold—right there in Bethlehem.
Phillips Brooks captured this beautifully in his well-loved carol from 1867:
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight.
A normal night became a night of divine celebration because a Savior entered the world. And that Savior met our greatest need.
1. The need to Be Saved from Our Sins
Every person is born with a sin nature—something we inherited from Adam and Eve’s rebellion. This inner brokenness affects how we think, speak, and act. And it’s a problem we cannot solve on our own.
God’s grace changes what we cannot. Jesus came to earth to die on the cross and pay the price for our redemption. Through His shed blood, our sins can be forgiven and our hearts made new.
2. The need to Be Saved from Ourselves
Our problem isn’t just what we do—it’s who we are inside. The selfishness that sits at the center of the human heart shows up early. As children we claim, “mine,” and as adults we often carry the same attitude in more sophisticated ways.
This inward bent leads to anger, bitterness, and the belief that everything should go our way. We need rescue not only from sinful actions, but from the selfish heart that produces them.
God knew we couldn’t fix ourselves. He sent a Savior who could transform us from the inside out.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for sending me a Savior. Thank You for knowing I needed rescue from my sin and from my own selfish heart. Forgive me today and transform me by Your grace. Amen.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”
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