DECEMBER 2 THE MEANING OF CHRIST’S BIRTH By Tom Messer Senior Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
The traditional Christmas season celebrates the birth of Christ and focuses on His First Coming. His First Coming also points the way to His Second Coming. The four Sundays leading up to Christmas are characterized by Hope, Joy, Love, and Peace. Our Hope: The church in its present situation is waiting for the Return of Christ to usher in His eternal kingdom. The First and Second Coming of Christ is what allows us to look backward and see God’s grace (Calvary) and look forward to the coming of our Future King. We remember His First Coming as a means to anticipate His Second Coming. Our Joy: The coming of Christ assures us that “your joy may be complete.” It is to assure us that we are going to have freedom of emotions. Nothing can rob us of our joy. The joy that God gives is not based on circumstance and is not dependent upon our performance or effort. It is a subterranean river of joy that flows even when things are not going well on the outside. Our Love: God’s love is made known in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the supreme embodiment and example of the Father’s love for us. God showed us His love by sending Jesus Christ to this earth in human form. The theological term for this concept is incarnation. Jesus humbled Himself and emptied Himself of the glory of heaven because He determined that obedience to the Father and the redemption of lost people were more important. This is love; Jesus treasured us more than the treasures of heaven and came to this earth out of obedience to the Father and love for us. Our Peace: The Christmas carol says, “Hark the Herald angels sing, glory to the newborn King. Peace on earth and mercy mild; God and sinners reconciled.” In the announcement in Luke 1, Zacharias was told that the Savior was to come “to give knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins…to guide our feet to the way of peace.” Peace with God is the foundation of all other peace. This peace is reconciliation with God through the forgiveness of sins that God has provided in Jesus.
Christ’s birth gives us incredible hope, sustainable joy, unconditional love, and incomparable peace!
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