Of the many great works, which the Lord Jesus accomplished in the course of His earthly ministry, something extraordinary stood Him out and made Him different from every other prophet who came before or after Him. That’s the fact that He laid down His life for us; no other prophet or shepherd ever did that. Jesus wasn’t the first to be crucified, but He was the first to be crucified in the place of others. He purposely laid down His life, of His own free will. He could have delivered Himself from the hands of those who crucified Him, but He chose to go to the cross and die for sinners. Everything Jesus did was for the love of man. The reason He was born, lived, died, and rose again to life was that we "…might have and enjoy life to the full" (John 10:10AMP). Testifying before Pilate in John 18:37, He said, "…To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." He came to bear witness unto the truth. What is this truth? It’s in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." As you celebrate Christmas, think on what He came to do in your behalf. Meditate on His great love, and the life of victory He has given you.