 Several passages in Scripture reveal the beauty of the gospel. One of them is Titus 2:11-14.
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness, and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (ESV).  Most of us are familiar with the birthplace of Christ.
“O little town of Bethlehem, / How still we see thee lie! / Above thy deep and dreamless sleep / The silent stars go by.” “O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant! / O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!” “Joyful, all ye nations, rise, / join the triumph of the skies; / with th’angelic hosts proclaim, ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem!’” Indeed, He is. And we see the significance of this location in our passage this week.  Last week, I wrote about the genealogy of Christ in Matthew 1:1-17. It’s important to understand where Jesus comes from in relation to the Old Testament. But when considering the origins of Christ, something else must be said. After all, there is no origin of Christ.
 Growing up, my family always read the Christmas story before opening presents on Christmas morning. Some years, it was Matthew’s account. Other years, we read from Luke. But we never read aloud Matthew 1:1-17.
 “O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore” (Ps. 131 ESV).
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