A Savior, Who Is Christ the Lord!
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8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will toward men.
When Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple to present Him to the Lord, Simeon being filled with the Holy Spirit, took the child in his arms and said,
29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart In peace, according to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
When an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, the angel gave Joseph this message:
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Of all the messages of the Christmas season, this one message comes to the forefront. Jesus Christ, the little babe in the manger, He is our Savior; He is our Salvation- a light to lighten all people; He is the One who saves his people from their sins.
What did it take for Jesus Christ to be our Savior? Why was it so significant that Jesus Christ became a little babe in a manger, and how did this act of God taking upon Himself human flesh qualify Him to take away the sins of His people?
Last week we adored Jesus Christ because of his Deity- We, along with John, beheld the glory of the Word. We beheld the glory of the Eternal, Triune, Divine Son of God.
This week I want us to adore Jesus Christ because of his humanity. Jesus Christ, the Incarnation, is fully God and fully man. What is so significant about Jesus becoming a man? Why does his humanity matter so much? How does the humanity of Jesus Christ qualify Him to be our Savior?
Hebrews 10:1-18 gives us two answers to that question.
I. The humanity of Jesus enabled Him to be our perfect sacrifice (10:1-10)
I. The humanity of Jesus enabled Him to be our perfect sacrifice (10:1-10)
The book of Hebrews was written to a group of primarily Jewish believers who were contemplating turning away from following Jesus and going back to Judaism. They were facing persecution because of their faith in Christ, and rather than endure persecution for Jesus’ sake, they were thinking about going back to following the OT, the Old Covenant Mosaic law so that they would no longer have suffer earthly persecution. The author Hebrews in response, spends the whole book comparing Jesus Christ to the Old Covenant system, and showing over and over again that Jesus Christ is far better! If Jesus is far better why would you go back and follow anything else?
In the first part of Hebrews 10, the author of Hebrews compares Jesus to the OT sacrifices. And Jesus Christ is a far better sacrifice!
A. The purpose of the OT sacrifices (v. 1a)
A. The purpose of the OT sacrifices (v. 1a)
1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
The purpose of the OT sacrifices was to point OT saints toward the future coming of Christ. The law was only meant to be a shadow, just a representation of something real, a picture of the true reality.
When you go into a McDonald’s and you look at a menu what do you see? You see a bunch of pictures! It’s great. McDonald’s has made things as easy as possible. It’s lazy food in its ultimate form. You don’t have to read words (Ugg!), you can look at pictures, and when you go to order you don’t have to communicate in full sentences either. How do you order? Number 3. 30 seconds later you have your food. It’s great! What if after you ordered your food the server gave you the choice- you can either have this picture of a double quarter-pounder with cheese, or you can have the real thing. How many of you would take the picture back to your seat and take a big bite? No one, that would be crazy!
I can prove it to you!
Picture of a snicker’s bar-
That is what the OT sacrifices were, they were just a shadow, a picture, they were not the very form of the thing. They were meant to point people to the reality, to God’s perfect sacrifice- Jesus Christ. He is the only sacrifice that matters.
B. The problem with the OT sacrifices (v. 1b)
B. The problem with the OT sacrifices (v. 1b)
1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
Here is the problem- the OT law, the sacrifices, they were just a shadow of the things to come, and they can never with those sacrifices, even though they offered them year after year continually, but they can never make those who desire to come unto God perfect.
Perfect- without blemish or defect. And it is a once and for all action. However, this is exactly what is needed in order for sinful people to come into God’s presence. God is a holy perfect God, and if we desire to come into His presence and to have a relationship with God they we too must be once and far all perfected. We must be made to be without any blemish or defect whatsoever. But mere animal sacrifices were powerless to do that. It didn’t matter how often or how many sacrifices you made, under the OT sacrificial system, it was impossible to be made perfect.
How do we know that?
1. Because OT saints were never done offering sacrifices (v. 2a)
1. Because OT saints were never done offering sacrifices (v. 2a)
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
The OT sacrifices could never make one perfect. How do we know that? Well if they were able to make one perfect wouldn’t they have stopped offering sacrifices?
Don’t you wish exercise worked this way- you go to the gym once and do one workout, you go on a diet once for one day- and then your good. You can go eat that double quarter pounder with cheese because You worked out one time and you dieted one time- so your done. But that is not the way it works. You have to continually exercise and you have to continually eat right for as long as you live in this earthly body if you want to stay in shape.
So too were the OT sacrifices you had to offer them continually. Why? Because they were not effective. They were not what God intended- they were simply a picture of a better, perfect sacrifice. But they themselves had no substance and they could not make the worshiper perfect.
2. Because OT saints always had a consciousness of sins (vv. 2b-3)
2. Because OT saints always had a consciousness of sins (vv. 2b-3)
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
OT believers should have realized that these sacrifices could never make them perfect by forgiving their sins, because ever year when they had to make another sacrifice they were reminded once again of their sins. Forgiven people no longer bear the consciousness of their sins. Or you could say forgiven sin should no longer weigh on our conscience for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. The fact that the sacrifices were made year after year should have reminded people that their sins could not be forgiven through the sacrificial system.
Imagine you want to start a business. But in order to start a business you need to get a loan. So you go to a bank and a you take out a loan for 1 million dollars. Now what bank in their right mind would give just anyone that kind of money. It doesn’t happen. So, in order to make it possible for you to get your money from the bank a very rich benefactor (a friend) promises to make good on the loan if you cannot. So you are able to take out the loan, but you have to promise to pay it back in one years time. A year goes by, and sadly you don’t have the money to pay back the bank. So now you have to go back to the bank and ask for another year’s extension on the loan. And you rich friend once again promises to pay off the loan in your place- so the bank extends your loan. You do this year after year. Each year instead of paying off your debt you add to it instead. And each year the only thing keeping you from ruin is the promise of your wealth friend to one day pay off your debt.
This is what the OT sacrificial system was like. These sacrifices could never forgive their sin debt. And year after year they would be reminded of this fact. Their sins were not forgiven. They still had a conscious of their sin. The only hope they had was the promise that one day God would provide for them a perfect sacrifice and pay their debt in full. And they put their faith in that future sacrifice.
3. Because mere animal blood could never take away sins (v. 4)
3. Because mere animal blood could never take away sins (v. 4)
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Why did the levitical sacrifices not remove sin? Part of the problem lay in the sacrifices themselves. The sacrificial animals- bulls and goats, for instance—were merely brute creatures. It was not possible for their blood to remove sins.
This image of an offering made yearly, and an offering of the blood of bulls and goats would have pictured in the minds of these Jewish believers the day of atonement. Leviticus 16 describes for us in detail the events of the day of atonement. Once a year the high priest would enter the holiest of holies and make an offering to atone for the sin of the people.
Image of goat and bull.
3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.
5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. 11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself: 12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail: 13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: 14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. 15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: 16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
What a vivid picture- it is a brutal sight to watch an animal die, to shed its blood, and then to take the blood of the bull and the goat within the veil and sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat. What a picture- my sin demands a death, that blood should be my blood for I am the guilty sinner. Yet the blood of the bull and the goat is shed instead.
18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. 19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. 20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: 21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
What a picture of separation- my sins separate me from a holy God, but symbolically the priest would bear down with his whole weight of his body and press upon the goat the weight of the sins of the people and then send the goat away alone in the wilderness. Again, that should be me. I am the one deserving of eternal separation.
30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.
34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the Lord commanded Moses.
They had to do this year after year, and every year there was a renewed consciousness of their sin and their guilt, because the blood of mere bulls and goats could never take away the penalty of their sins. These sacrifices were but a mere shadow, a picture, a form- but they had no substance. They only served to point forward to a better sacrifice. And we all need a better sacrifice because OT sacrifices can never make those who would draw near to God’s presence perfect.
C. The perfection of Christ’s sacrifice (vv. 5-10)
C. The perfection of Christ’s sacrifice (vv. 5-10)
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
Sacrifices and offering- God didn’t want those!
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
God took no pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. All of those offerings of bulls and goats, ultimately God didn’t want them, and He took no pleasure in them? Why? Because they could not make the one who would come to God perfect. So what did God want? What did God take pleasure in?
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
Folks this is where this message becomes a Christmas message. What did God require and delight in to take away our sins? The body of the Lord Jesus Christ. God took no pleasure in the OT sacrifices and burnt offerings, In contrast to animal sacrifices, however, the perfect sacrifice was provided through the Incarnation, when Jesus Christ as God’s Messiah was born as a human being. His body would become the sacrifice that could genuinely perfect, that is forgive the sins, of those who would come to God.
That is not often how we think of the little babe in a manger. We don’t see the Christ child, and think sacrifice. But that is exactly why Jesus took upon Himself a body. He needed a body so that he could be our perfect sacrifice for our sins.
How often do we equate this (manger scene), and the pronouncement of the angel, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
With this (lamb image). In order for Jesus to be our Savior, he needed a body, and he needed a body so that he could be slain as our perfect sacrifice.
John the Baptist realized this. What was the first thing that John cried out when he saw Jesus?
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.
Christ’s sacrifice becomes all the more wondrous in v. 7
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Jesus, God’s Messiah, took a genuinely human body specifically so that He could accomplish God’s will in salvation.
Knowing that by taking a body He would be offering Himself as a sacrifice, Jesus says, “Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.”
Sometimes when I ask my kids to do something, especially if it is not part of their normal responsibilities, I get a negative reaction. Let’s say that one of your siblings left their markers and papers all over the kitchen table (does that ever happen in your house kids?). Then let’s say that mom asks you to pick up the mess left by one of your brothers or sisters. What is your immediate response? But, mom that is not my mess. I didn’t do it. Well, what if she says, I don’t care I want you to clean it up anyways. What is your next response? That’s not what? Fair!
Do you want to know what isn’t fair? What isn’t fair is for God the Son, the very God of the universe, to so humble Himself that He took upon Himself a human body, and He took upon Himself a body so that He could give His life as a sacrifice for sins that He did not commit. That isn’t fair. And when God the Father sent God the Son to earth as a little baby in order to become our sacrifice do you know how Jesus responded to the Father? Lo, I come to do they will, O God. Kid’s aren’t you glad that Jesus did use the excuse that it wasn’t fair?
Over and over again, in the gospels Jesus makes the statement that He was sent to do the will of the Father:
34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
Jesus accomplished the will of the Father, even to the point of death on a cross. But notice what the perfect sacrifice of Jesus accomplished for us.
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
The animal sacrifices of the OT stand in sharp contrast to the work of Christ. Ultimately, God neither desired nor took pleasure in animal sacrifices that were offered according to the law. Such sacrifices were only shadows, pointing to a greater reality. That reality—God’s ultimate will—was the very thing that Jesus Christ came to achieve. In accomplishing God’s will (that is the forgiveness of sins), Christ did away with the sacrificial system.
And notice the result of Christ’s perfect sacrifice:
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
The result is that believers are fully forgiven (sanctified) once for all by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ.
The implication is crystal clear. Animal sacrifices were offered repeatedly because they could never sanctify sinners or bring them to perfection (cause them to be without blemish or defect). Christ, by sacrificing His own body, had brought sinners to perfection once-for-all. His sacrifice was so effectual, it was perfect, complete, lacking nothing, that it was a one-time, unrepeatable event. It was a one-time, unrepeatable event because it accomplished everything that needed to be accomplished in order to perfect, to sanctify those who would come to God.
Folks, this is the true message of Christmas!
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
How does the humanity of Jesus Christ qualify Him to be our Savior?
The humanity of Jesus enabled Him to be our perfect sacrifice
How should you respond to this?
His sacrifice is the only sacrifice that is able to sanctify you (fully forgive you) of all your sins. No other sacrifice can do what Jesus did for you in taking a body and dying on a cross for your sake. What are you trusting in to have your sins forgiven? If it is not the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Messiah then your sins have not been forgiven. But, they can be! If you will put your faith in Jesus and in His blood shed for you on the Calvary, then you can be fully sanctified, once for all, forever forgiven of all of your sins. And the way to God will be open for you. Have you trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior? If not I invite you to do so today. What better give could you receive this Christmas season?
For those of you who have trusted in Christ’s sacrifice for forgiveness of your sins, I invite you to see the little babe in the manger, the Incarnation, as a not just a babe, but as a sacrifice. See His body as His ultimate form of love for you, and worship Jesus Christ as He deserves to be worshiped!
How does the humanity of Jesus Christ qualify Him to be our Savior?
II. The humanity of Jesus enabled Him to be our perfect priest (vv. 11-18)
II. The humanity of Jesus enabled Him to be our perfect priest (vv. 11-18)
Beginning in v. 11, the author of Hebrews switches his focus of Christ as our sacrifice and begins marveling at Christ our priest.
And again there is a sharp contrast drawn between the OT priesthood and the priesthood of Christ. The priesthood of Christ is far better!
How do we know that Christ’s priesthood is far better? How do we know that Jesus is our perfect priest?
A. Christ is the only priest who can sit down (vv. 11-13)
A. Christ is the only priest who can sit down (vv. 11-13)
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
One commentator said this, “It is important to remember that when these verses were written, every Jewish child was taught about the tabernacle and its sacrifices. Every Israelite knew in detail how the tabernacle was furnished and what the priests did as they worked. They all knew that every priest had to show up for work each day, repeatedly offering the same sacrifices because those sacrifices could not take away sins.”
1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. 2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. 3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; 4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; 5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. 6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
Every Jew knew exactly what was in the tabernacle and what the priests did. Do you know what piece of furniture was not found in tabernacle? The tabernacle had no chairs because the priests were not allowed to sit down. As long as they were on the job, they were busy, repeating the same offerings.
The historian Josephus estimated that over 200,000 Jews would assemble on the 35 acre Temple Mount during passover, and around 300,000 lambs would be sacrifice during one week. Imagine the logistics of that? How would you get through that many sacrifices in just one week? Those priests were perpetually busy. They couldn’t sit down, they could never sit down. Because it didn’t matter how many lambs were slaughtered, they would never be enough. They would always need to keep offering them, and so their work as priests was never done.
But, then came Jesus…
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
In contrast, Jesus the Messiah, offered a single sacrifice for all sins for all time, and when His sacrifice was complete, He sat down. In contrast to the ceaseless activity of the Aaronic priests, the Lord Jesus is at rest, His work is done. It is finished! Now He is simply waiting until His Father subjects His enemies to Him by placing them under His feet (v. 13).
How do we know that Jesus is our perfect priest? Because only He is the only priest who can sit down, because only Jesus was able to offer as priest a perfect sacrifice that would satisfy once and for all a holy God.
How do we know that Jesus is our perfect priest?
B. Christ is the only priest Who can perfect us (vv. 14-18)
B. Christ is the only priest Who can perfect us (vv. 14-18)
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
In contrast to the OT priests, whose repeated sacrifices could never make sinners perfect.
1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
In contrast, the single sacrifice offered by Jesus Christ, our priest, perfects believing sinners for all time.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
This is the work that only Christ as our perfect priest can accomplish! What is the responsibility of a priest is providing forgiveness for people’s sins? To be saved, sinful humans need a priest. This priest must represent them before God, presenting a sacrifice that will do two things.
It must propitiate God’s justice
God’s justice, His wrath for sin, must be satisfied. In order for God to be just in forgiving sinful people, His righteous demands for their sin must be met- his wrath must be satisfied or exhausted.
2. It must expiate our sins- it must wipe away the guilt of sinners.
It must take the guilt of our sin that stands against us and is contrary to us and wipe it away.
Jesus did both of these works as our priest- He propitiated God’s wrath, and he expiated the guilt of our sin- in his death on the cross of Calvary!
The Aaronic priests could never fulfill this responsibility! Because neither they nor their sacrifices were adequate. However, by offering His own body as a sacrifice for our sins, Jesus Christ has perfectly satisfies all priestly requirements. His work is complete. It need not be repeated. In fact, it cannot be repeated. No one else can offer anything that will supplement or improve upon the finished work of Jesus.
15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
The author here is quoting Jeremiah, but he ascribes it to the HS, and he is making reference to the New Covenant that God made with Israel. And the New Covenant is like the benefit or the blessings that we, the church, experience in Christ. First and foremost is the benefit of the forgiveness of our sins.
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
No one or nothing else can offer anything that can add to or improve upon the finished work of Jesus our priest. For because of Jesus’ finished work as our priest God says, “their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Those who believe on Jesus for salvation are fully forgiven, they are fully sanctified, they are fully perfected- and God no longer remembers their sins and transgressions. That doesn’t mean that God forgets our sins (God is omniscient- He can never forget, He perfectly knows all things)- what it means is that God will remember the penalty for our sins. His wrath has been satisfied and the guilt for our sins has been wiped away. We are in God’s eyes, positionally perfect- without spot or defect. When God sees us He no longer sees our sins and our transgressions, He only sees the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ.
And guess what? No other priesthood or sacrifice will ever be need for your salvation ever again.
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
None is even possible!
What does this mean for you?
It means that you do not need any other priesthood that would offer sacrifice for the salvation of your sins. In fact, Hebrews 10 forbids a separate priesthood. There are some religions that believe you still need a priest to function on your behalf. This is a great error! It is a denial of the gospel to create a separate priesthood. You don’t need a priest to confess your sins to- Jesus is the only priest you will ever need. You don’t need a priest to transform the Lord’s supper into a sacrifice that supposedly secures grace for the sinners seeking salvation. Jesus is the only sacrifice and the only priest you will ever need. In fact any system in which a priest other than Jesus stands between humans and God constitutes a usurpation of the priestly office of Christ and a denial of His finished work. It is a denial of the gospel itself.
This Christmas season, as you view the babe in the manger- view Christ in His humanity as your perfect sacrifice and your perfect priest. Come to an understanding that all you need for the forgiveness of your sins is found in Christ alone. And reject any doctrine that would attempt to add to or replace the perfect work of Christ. If you have never placed your faith in Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins- I urge you to believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is the only sacrifice that can possibly sanctify you. And that Jesus Christ’s work as priest is finished and you nor anyone else need add anything else to it.
For those of you who have been sanctified, perfected, and forgiven by Jesus Christ marvel/adore/worship the babe in the manger and see Jesus as the God/Man. And in His humanity marvel at Jesus your perfect sacrifice and your perfect priest!