Tis the Season to be Jolly!
It’s Christmas! This is a significant and a strategic moment in time.
We all probably already know, but maybe some of you don’t like the idea of Christmas. You feel like Christmas has become more a marketing, materialism, and minimizing the marginalized. But I want us to stop for a moment and think on, ponder upon, and meditate based on this glorious topic this season.
C.S. Lewis in his book said it this way, “The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation. They say that God became Man. Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this….”
In the business of life, the busy streets of Bethlehem, in the business of routines of last-minute things, let us learn to pause, rest, be still and know that God is good because of the miracle street in Bethlehem.
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Gal 4:4-5).
Jesus Came in the Manger
“When the fullness of time was come” (Gal 4:4). That really means right time, right moment he’s right on time!
Yes, most people did not recognize the significance of this, but in God’s sovereign will and providential care, that was indeed the right moment. Jesus coming was God’s divine plan from the very beginning of time.
Here are several key OT passages of Scripture where God made the promise Christ coming on many occasions.
- “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isa 7:14).
- “O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” (Micah 5:2).
- “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” (Hos 11:1).
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14). Author John was pointing to Jesus! This was God himself, not God created Jesus. God always existed and there was never a time where God wasn’t in existence.
“God sent forth his Son, born of woman” (Gal 4:4). Who is this person that is God’s Son? JESUS!
These are two significant truth we see here.
(1) Send forth his Son = Son of God
(2) Born of woman = Son of man
What does that mean? Jesus was fully God and fully man at the very same time, which is called the “hypostatic union” This was not like one of those heretical teaching in the past called Arianism, where Jesus was not really God but more like a superman with a beginning. Jesus wasn’t just a “superman”, but Jesus was the God man!
That is the very reason we can have, “Hope” in this CHRITmas. That is the reason Christians can find radical and real purpose in this very moment because of joy in Jesus.
Jesus Came as the Ultimate Free Gift from God
Christmas is indeed a time of great celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ the Son of God. Not about the gifts, not about the wrapping, not about nice meal we have around the dinner table. So, Christmas is not about the gift that is under the tree but the gift that was hang on the tree.
That is what Christmas is all about. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).
He came at the right time, at the right schedule at the right moment on earth. “My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!” (Psa 31:15).
Maybe this is the message at this very moment you or your friend needed reminder of real “hope” and real “joy” that needed this holiday season.
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” (John 1:12). The Son of God became man so that man may become sons of God!
The ultimate gift you can have today is the gift miraculously send his Son at this moment so that the you and I may be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Christ has purchased us with the price of his own death to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and adopt us as children of God!