Isaiah 9:1-6; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14
“A Son is given to us . . . Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6)
At last, the day has come; another Christmas is here! We who hoped and prepared for Christmas this Advent; the arrival of Christmas manifests the fulfilment of hope: “a Son is given.” For those who hoped for Christmas 2015, and who have gone to the Father’s house, their hope is fulfilled because they are in the Father’s house, where they see Immanuel face to face.
“A Son is given to us” is unlike any other child: he is God among us – Immanuel! The distance and separation between the Divine and human has been bridged: God the Son is one of us because the “Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). We now have and are the images of the Divine on the planet earth. Our dignity as human beings has been elevated to that of “god” (Psalm 82:6), imitating God our Father in His Son!
“A Son is given to us” has a mission, the mission to be “Prince of Peace!” The message of the angels, on Christmas Eve, proclaims the mission of the “Prince of Peace”: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours (Luke 2:14)!” The presence of God the Son among us is already the “favour” of God among us. That is not all, the presence of God the Son, in the flesh, points to the future gift of his life at Easter for our redemption. In other words, the hope of Christ’s birth opens the gate for the hope of redemption at Easter.
“Christmas” says that our hope cannot deceive us (Romans 5:5)! “Merry Christmas” says that God is the source of our happiness – “your God reigns” (Isaiah 52:7)! “Glory to God in the highest heaven” says that we need to thank God for the gift of his Son. “On earth peace among those whom he [God] favours” says that God will never abandon his people!
Merry Christmas, one and all!
Wonderful website. Plenty of useful info here.
I’m sending it to a few buddies ans also sharing in delicious.
And naturally, thanks on your sweat!