Tidings of Comfort and Joy

Christmas is a time of family gatherings, shopping and presents. Sadly, it is also a time when many feel lonely, pressured and even depressed. It is a stressful time emotionally and financially, and some fall prey to these pressures. It is a time that reminds those without a family of what they do not have, and without proper perspective that can remove all joy from the season. What is the right perspective? What does any of this matter?

 

God rest you merry, gentlemen,
let nothing you dismay;
remember Christ, our Savior
was born on Christmas Day
to save us all from Satan's pow'r
when we were gone astray.

 

This is an old English carol (and one of my favorites), but the language can be a little difficult so often the meaning goes over our heads. The first two lines are an encouragement to be merry and not let anything cause us distress. Why should we be merry and how? It helps to remember that the whole point of Christmas is Jesus’ birth and first coming to earth for the purpose of saving us from sin and satan’s power. He planned to save the world, and came to save us even while we were still His enemies, before we ever believed or wanted to believe. He knew we would choose to sin and leave His presence, but He made a plan to save us anyway. That is the hope and joy we have this season! His love that overreaches our sin!

 

From God our heav'nly Father
a blessed angel came
and unto certain shepherds
brought tidings of the same,
how that in Bethlehem was born
the son of God by name.

 

"Fear not," then said the angel,
"let nothing you affright;
this day is born a Savior,
the true and radiant light,
to free all those who trust in him
from Satan's pow'r and might."

  

It is interesting that the first people told about the news of Jesus’ birth were shepherds, mostly women and children and considered some of the lowest. Yet, the fields around Bethlehem pastured the flocks used for the sacrificial lambs. So these shepherds would have full knowledge of the sacrifices and what the Lamb of God meant. Prior to Christ, the only way to atone for sin was through the blood of an animal, but it was not permanent and had to be done continually, for every sin. Christ, the perfect Lamb of God, paid once for all, atoning for every sin in history, free to all who trust in Him. He also defeated satan and death so that they are powerless and we need not fear.

 

Now to the Lord sing praises,
all you within this place,
and in true love and fellowship
each other now embrace;
this holy tide of Christmas
is filled with heav'nly grace.

 

Because of all of these things, we have reason and call to worship God. The knowledge of His love and sacrifice should move all of us to continual praise! It should also motivate us to love and unity, not excusing sin, but choosing to love rather than judge, to help and not exclude. These are things we should do every day of the year, but Christmas is a special time of remembering the purpose of life.

 

O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

 

These truly are tidings of comfort and joy; in God’s love and provision, His truth and grace!

 

Titus 3:4-7 New American Standard Bible 1995

But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

 

 

 

Text from hymnary.org

God's Not Fair

One doesn’t have to look far to see evidence that life is unfair. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. The wicked prosper while the righteous struggle. The evil go free while the innocent suffer. The scale of right and wrong has been turned on its head and injustice seems to reign. Life is unfair, but more than that is seems as if God is unfair, too.

Gracious Like God

Grace is another attribute that we commonly associate with God and Christianity. Indeed, it is the basis for our Christian faith, but do we really understand what grace is and means? Do we fully appreciate the graciousness of God? Are we living examples of God’s grace to the world?

Is Grace Amazing?

Grace, that gift of God freely given to all who believe, that wondrous act which brought about our salvation, that thing which freed us from the debt of sin. It is no wonder that so many hymns and songs have been written about it: Amazing Grace, Your Grace Is Enough, Grace,Grace,God’s Grace, This Is Amazing Grace! It is at the core of our faith and that one thing which separates Christianity from all other religions. But is it really “amazing?”

The Cost of Grace

I hear a lot about “free grace.” I hear people say that grace is a gift freely given, we do nothing to

earn or deserve it. It costs us nothing. But is grace really free? I do not mean “are there strings attached” but is it without cost? Even a gift given to us cost something to someone, and usually the better the quality the higher the cost. What is the cost of grace?