And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord ~ Luke 2:10-11.
Introduction: Christmas is not like any other event all through the annals of time. It is indeed the real worldwide kernel of joy and, over the ages, it has also repeatedly stirred joy in heaven over sinners that repent and embrace the unspeakable love of God bestowed upon mankind.
The first time ever that the heavenly choir came to earth to sing for men was on the occasion of the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ (Luke 2:9-14). It was indeed an unusually awesome night. The glory of the Lord shone around the Shepherds and a multitude of the heavenly host joined them, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!".
Most certainly, the Christmas story is not just a collection of creative or sensational words as found in the countless story books written on earth. Words of men spoken and written over time are innumerable, but they are also forgettable and, at best, they carry only specks of truth.
However, the Christmas story, rather, is the precise, accurate and trustworthy words from God, revealing His love, purpose and plan for restoring mankind to Himself through His only Son Jesus Christ!
About 2020 years ago, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to announce a baby’s birth to some shepherds who were living out in the fields around Bethlehem, and keeping watch over their flock by night. That memorable event certainly brought a thrill of hope to a weary world.
Yes indeed, the future of the human race changed that night and forever when joy took human form and appeared, wrapped in swaddling clothes, in a manger at the first Christmas. What a holy and a momentous night! Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, was born! Glory to God in the Highest!
The Spiritual Imports of Christmas
The divine visitation on that day came with the Mediator between the Holy God and sinful men, to abolish once and for all the enmity between God and man. The Lamb of God was manifested to take away the sins of the world and to reconcile estranged men to God! Alleluia!!
While the sudden appearance of the angel to the shepherds that night brought great fear to them, his message did not. The message was good news of great joy, for all people; good tidings that the King of kings - Jesus Christ - became a baby to save sinners (Luke 1:67-75; 1 Tim. 1:15). No news could be better or more exciting than this!
At that first Christmas, both the good-will and amazing love of God to man were displayed, and the promises and prophecies relating to Him fulfilled. That holy advent firmly established the required groundswell of support for man's salvation, peace, pardon and righteousness.
No wonder then that the joy of that day was great indeed, even joy unspeakable, and full of glory. And, as it has been proven over several generations, the joy is a lasting joy, which cannot be taken away nor inter-meddled with by any forces known to man. Most gloriously, it is such a joy to all people who would receive Jesus Christ, even today, and rejoice at his birth and in the salvation He offers, whether Jews or Gentiles (Isaiah 9:3).
Today, through Jesus Christ who was born to redeem us from sin, God’s goodwill pervades the earth, and peace is made available to all chosen people in Christ, all to the glory of God. This is the grand, the glorious and the most important import of Christmas for which the tidings are both wonderful and most amazing (Luke 2:7-14).
Indeed, Jesus Christ came to save sinners, but the sinner must repent and believe the gospel in order get the enemy, sin, out of the way. Afterwards, he will become free to face the future without fear of uncertainties, lack, losses, diseases, death or Satan.
God’s Favour and Man’s Obligation
Gleaning from Luke 1:71-75, we can safely say that Christmas, as a seed-plot of our redemption in Christ Jesus, puts us in a position of beneficiaries of three major gospel benefits, viz: (1) deliverance from our enemies, (2) the performance of promised mercy, and (3) divine commitment to God’s holy covenant.
God is merciful and He loves us whether we are worthy of His love or not, and whether we know it or not. By His mercy, He wishes to bless everyone, including those who have messed up, even now. Moreover, sending Jesus the Savior at first Christmas shows that God is ever mindful of His covenant and promises.
Meanwhile, man is not at liberty to decline what God proposes, except with some dire consequences in view. He is under obligation to do all that God commands. And, serving God is a principal end of our deliverance from the enemies by Christ: “That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear” (Luke 1:74).
Nothing lays a greater obligation on men to serve the Lord, and to live to glorify Him, than the first advent of Christ. Nothing ought to make men more zealous of gospel works and worship than the love which we received of God at first Christmas.
We must serve God acceptably and spread abroad His love on earth, all the days of our lives! However, please note that greater is he that serves God out of love, than he that serves Him out of fear.
In conclusion, Christmas is all about the expression of giving and generosity (John 3:16). It is a time to love and be loved in the spirit of giving, which is the very nature of God who generously gave Christ to us all. This is true hope and the essential news for the world, and we must never lose sight of this fact in all our merriments in the tinsel of our secular world.
Happy Sunday! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Advance!!
- Bishop Taiwo Akinola,
Rhema Christian Church,
Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.
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