If you have a family member who is very close to you, you have a blessing from God that is to be cherished. That family member could be a dear sister or a dear brother. He or she is often willing to help you, visit with you and converse with you, and pray for you.

As I write this message, I express how dearly I cherish the friendship of both my sister and my brother. They both call and communicate frequently. They are willing to chat, help and lend aid whenever possible. This is especially true of my brother, with whom there is a long history of helping each other. Over the years we have shared many repairs of farm machinery and equipment as well as vehicles of all kinds. Whenever an extra hand is needed, brother will say “Sure I’ll be right there.” When the house needs repair and it is a little more than one can do alone, he’ll help me and I’ll help him. If there is a health concern, frequent calls are made to find out how things are. I know he is praying for me and I certainly am for him. When blessings are evident to either of us, such as a bountiful harvest of crops from the farm or a completed task, we rejoice together.

A brother, sister, family member of this kind, is a blessing on earth.

But you should know that there is a Brother who is closer to me than either of my siblings could be. That brother is none other than Jesus Christ, who is “closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). This Jesus was willing to leave His throne of Heaven as the Son of God and be born of the mother Mary, that He might come to us on earth. He wanted to participate in our plight to show us His complete love and devotion. He wanted to let us know that we could request His help in our every need, and He would “be right there” with us. Jesus knows my needs and struggles, and He knows yours.

The Bible describes this close relationship that all of us on earth have with Jesus (who is our dearest friend) this way:

Both the one who makes men holy [Jesus] and those who are made holy [by faith in Jesus] are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers (Hebrews 2:11).

My brothers are those who hear God’s Word and put it into practice” [That is, believe it.] (Luke 8:21).

[Jesus] had to be made like his brothers in every way [that happened at Christmas] in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God. That He might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted (Hebrews 2: 17-18).

Jesus, you see, was born, lived and died to meet our deepest need. “He showed the full extent of His love” (John 13:1) by living for us and even “laying down His life for us” (John 15:13). Jesus is our brother. Our deepest need becomes His. We truly are His brothers and sisters by faith in Him because He has called us to belong to His household.

Christ’s special birth at Christmas has brought us the joy of knowing that Jesus is “closer than a brother,” for no earthly brother or sister would be able to take the place of a family member as Jesus did. Jesus was willing to be born our brother to save us.

The Psalmist put it this way:

No man can redeem the life of another or give
to God a ransom for him—the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—
that he should live on forever and not see decay….
But God will redeem my life from the grave,
He will surely take me to himself” (Psalm 49:7-9, 15).

Wayne Halvorson is pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Albert Lea, Minnesota.