Dr L M Murry
Christmas is celebrated throughout the World. But there is a lot of confusion about the true meaning of the festive season. Everybody wants to be happy and joyous. If you ask anyone of them, why they are happy? Everybody has their own reason for the happiness. Some are happy for family re-union, restoration of friendship, fresh clothes, plenty of good food, and commercial expansion.
At this time of COVID-19 pandemic, people are searching for personal profit devoid of their health. Pharmaceutical industries are trying to be the first to find a vaccine in order to dominate the World market. We are living in a modern World but exactly like the people in the days of “Babel.” (Let us make ourselves a name. (Genesis 11:4) This is the tragedy of a fallen World in which we live. For us, as believers in Jesus Christ, we must enter into a deeper understanding of the purpose of God. If we read the events that took place in the beginning of the Book of Genesis, God created everything. The Crown of His creation was man. He was formed from something which God had already created. Out of the dust of the Earth, was man formed and breathed His breath of life for a specific purpose. (Genesis 2:7) He was to take full control and to take care of all God’s creation and rule over them. “Care” means to “love”. Genesis 2:15. He was to be the “Steward” of God’s creation.
We do not know how long this harmonious atmosphere lasted. The Devil, as the master of deception, deceived Adam and Eve. And this harmonious relationship with God was destroyed. Man relinquished his responsibility and handed over to the Devil. God therefore began a salvage operation to restore the original intent of creation. In Genesis chapter 3, verse 15, “and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise you on the head and you shall bruise him on the feet.” This is termed as proto-evangel, which means the beginning of evangelism that we are all familiar in our mission vocabulary. The entire narrative of the Bible is one threat of the seed of the Woman which culminated with the coming of Christ into the World. Adam to Noah to Abraham, the Judges, and the kings to David. When, Mathew wrote the gospel, he began with the genealogy of Jesus from Abraham and David the king, to Jesus Christ. The Prophets thundered on the people of Israel for their disobedience but sincerely went on reminding them of the coming of their Messiah. The count- down of the exact time began in the reign of king Darius of the Mede-Persian king. (Daniel 9:1). Cyrus the king of the united kingdom of Mede-Persian kingdom released the Exiles to go back to their homeland..All the preparation to receive the Messiah,(Anointed) was made. The Temple was re-constructed, the city wall was completed for the reception of the Redeemer. Alexander the great made, Greek language lingua franca of his Empire. After him the Romans came and imposed Roman justice. In our modern World “justice” has become “Just us”. Communication was constructed throughout the Empire and the roads were made safe for all travellers. Pax- Romana (Roman Peace) was enjoyed by the people.
At a time like this, the time for the birth of Jesus Christ arrived. The time and of the coming of the Messiah, revealed to Daniel was accomplished. “So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty two weeks; it will rebuild again with plaza and moat; even in times of distress”. (Daniel 9:25) He was conceived supernaturally. The Hebrew people rejected their Messiah by crucifying Him but rose again on the third day. The Messiah was thus cut off from them. (Daniel 9:26) The Age of Grace, the Church AGE. After the end of this mystery Age, (Church) the Messiah will return. The trumpet sound for the rapture of the Church is knocking at the door.
Just because the celebration of Christmas has been compromised by the World, some of the Christian denominations refuse to celebrate it. Personally I feel, it is right for us to celebrate it. We have already seen the historical evidence of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 1:1) A king must trace his family line of succession. But, what about the theology of Christmas? Our entire purpose for the celebration; rests on this. For this, let us go back to Philippines chapter 2. From verse 6 “Who, being in very nature God”. “Being,” means all the attributes of God. “Did not consider equality with God” tells us that He gave up His rights of His attributes. He did not abandon His attributes. He remained Eternal God. He retained His identity but surrendered His will to His Father God. He became in the likeness of man, humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even the death on the cross. He is fully man and fully God. Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name. And every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. Those, who were dead, and we, who are still on earth and even those, who are in Hell will bow down to Him. (Psalm 76:10) His name is now “Lord”.
What we have already said as above was fulfilled exactly on the ground. After the supernatural conception, the foetus followed as normal process of human pregnancy to its full term. Joseph and the full term pregnant, Mary had to travel to the City of David for four days on the rocky path of the Judean Hill. They travelled under the safety of a Roman road. In Bethlehem, He was born in a stable; delivery was just like the birth of a slave. He grew up in a normal rural home. Learned the family trade, as a carpenter. Live with the rural society. Experienced hunger, thirst, tired physically like any other human being. Experienced human emotion; wept for Lazarus death, wept for the impending destruction of the city of Jerusalem. He was numbered among us. His name was registered in the census of the Roman Empire. If He was in our modern World, He must have been registered in the Electoral roll for political election. He is Immanuel. (God with us). He went through the physical torture on the Cross. Died, buried but rose again on the third day. When He ascended to heaven, He was given a name above all names, “Lord”. The birth day of somebody like in the person of Jesus Christ, deserves celebration. Let us therefore, focus our attention to Him alone. Let us not be carried away by the world, however attractive it may be. Merry Christmas to you all. Amen.
