"Lo, I have come to do thy will, O God." These were the very words of Christ according to
the author of the letter to the Hebrews. This was the purpose of His Coming, of His First
Advent, which we celebrate this Christmas-to carry out the purposes and objectives of His Father.
The day of sacrifices and burnt offerings had passed. The law of God as revealed through the
Old Testament was incapable of reconciling men and women to God. It had, none the less, prepared
the way for the next order of events, whereby God Himself would come to his human creatures
through Jesus Christ and through the single sacrifice of His Son make it possible for the
inhabitants of this world to be redeemed and reconciled to their creator.
  This would happen-and did happen-because Jesus, God-Incranate, came to this planet and carried
out God's will even to the point of offering up his own body on the cross as the one, single
sacrifice sufficient to atone for all the sins of the human family.
  Now God's redeemed creatures are drawn into the blessed, loving will of God. They are, in a
sense, Christ-Incarnate, appointed and destined to offer up their lives in the course of
carrying out the Father's purposes in this world. They present their bodies and beings as living
sacrifices-offered up to God on the altar of their neighbor's need.