©20

12 Good N

ews Tracts. Prin

ted in U

.S.A. C

over image: iStockPh

oto. Written

by Ch

uck Sw

indoll. U

sed by permission

.

made [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that

in him we might become the righteousness of

God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). His death satisfied

God’s righteous demands. His resurrection

three days later confirmed that his Father had

accepted the payment in full.

For me, becoming a parent meant giving up

perfectly polished shoes. For Christ, leaving

heaven meant the One who used the earth as his

footstool stooped to wash dirty feet. I endured

wrinkled clothes; he endured soldiers gambling

for his cloak. I gave up milk in the glass; he

welcomed the bitter cup of shame and death

on the cross. God’s ways are not our ways—the

humility required for the Word to become flesh

is unfathomable!

To receive the benefit of Christ’s death, you must

respond in total faith and confidence in him

to save you: "Whoever believes in him is not

condemned….for by grace you have been saved

through faith. And this is not your own doing, it

is the gift of God" (John 3:18, Ephesians 2:8).

You can accept God’s gift of salvation simply

by placing your faith in Christ alone for the

forgiveness of your sins. If you would like to enter

that relationship with your Creator by trusting

in Christ as your Savior, you can express your

decision in a prayer like this:

"Dear God, I know that my sin has put a barrier

between you and me. Thank you for sending your

Son, Jesus, to die in my place. I trust in Jesus alone

to forgive my sins, and I accept your gift of eternal

life. I ask Jesus to be my personal Savior. Thank you.

Amen."

– Chuck Swindoll

Good News Tracts1300 Crescent Street Wheaton, IL 60187

For helpful Christian literature, please write to the address above or visit our web site at www.goodnewstracts.org. Bible references: ESV.

MajesticMEEKNESS

Few experiences reveal our own selfishness more than parenting. I found that to be true as the father of four children. To be perfectly frank, when our kids were little, there was a side of me that liked to have my shoes shined rather than stepped on and scuffed up. I preferred having my clothes hanging in the closet in an orderly manner rather than drooled on and wrinkled. And milk is best in a glass, on the table, not on the floor!

So what did the Lord do to assist me in realizing my

selfishness? Very simple: he gave me four wonderful,

busy kids who stepped on shoes, wrinkled clothes,

and spilled milk along with other things!

But Jesus presents a different model. It was our Lord’s

unselfishness that launched him from the splendor

of heaven to a humble manger in Bethlehem. Don’t miss

the steps downward, according to Philippians 2:5–8 in

the Bible:

He emptied himself by taking on the form of a servant.

"Who, though he was in the form of God, did not

count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but

emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant…"

He was made in the likeness of humanity.

"…being born in the likeness of men. And being

found in human form…"

He humbled himself by becoming obedient

unto death.

"…he humbled himself by becoming

obedient to the point of death,"

He accepted the most painful and

humiliating way to die—crucifixion.

"…even death on a cross."

Everything involved in Jesus’ becoming human began

with an attitude of meekness, a willingness to cooperate

with the plan for salvation. Rather than lobbying for

his right to remain in heaven and continuing to enjoy

the exalted position as the second member of the

Godhead, he willingly said yes to being "God with

us." For the Word to become flesh and dwell among

us meant his cooperating with a plan that would

require his releasing majesty and accepting agony.

In a state of absolute perfection and undiminished

deity, he willingly came to earth. Leaving the angelic

host who flooded his presence with adoration,

Jesus accepted a role that would require him to

be misunderstood, abused, cursed, tortured, and

ultimately crucified.

Why would the Son of God willingly submit to die

in such a way? Because something has gone terribly

wrong in our society and in ourselves. Sin colors

all our thoughts, motives, words, and actions.

And the Bible says, "the wages of sin is death"

(Romans 6:23)—our physical death through sin’s

destructiveness, and our spiritual death from God’s

righteous judgment of our sin.

We can’t live a good enough life to make up for

our sins, because God’s standard isn’t "good

enough"—it’s perfection. So God in mercy rescued

us by sending His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for

our sins. He took death for you! "For our sake [God]

Majestic MeeknessWhen Christ humbled himself to take

the form of a man and come to earth, he revealed the majesty of God’s love.

Bible references: ESV. Package contains 25 tracts.

CHRISTMAS

Good News Tracts

forgiveness of your sins. If you would like to enter

that relationship with your Creator by trusting

in Christ as your Savior, you can express your

decision in a prayer like this:

"Dear God, I know that my sin has put a barrier

between you and me. Thank you for sending your

Son, Jesus, to die in my place. I trust in Jesus alone

to forgive my sins, and I accept your gift of eternal

life. I ask Jesus to be my personal Savior. Thank you.

Amen."

– Chuck Swindoll