Saturday, July 20, 2024

Moving Forward With Christmas

Psalm 85:12-13

12        Yes, the LORD will give what is good,

                        and our land will yield its increase.

13        Righteousness will go before him

                        and make his footsteps a way.

   Christmas is that time of year when most all people seem to walk differently, they’re happier and filled with more joy. Even curmudgeons have a change in their demeanor during the Christmas season.

   People emphasize “peace” during this time of the year as well. This peace is not something that can be found in the world and in worldly ways. The peace that people seek will never be found in this world or among governments. The peace that surpasses all human understanding is found exclusively in the Prince of Peace, the Christ child, Jesus. He alone is the conduit between God and Creation, between the holy and the sinner. This is why God sent His Son into this world—in order to reconcile the world and sinners to Himself bringing hope and eternal life in God’s New Creation.

   Marvin Tate shares an aspect of shalom in his commentary on Psalm 85:

“Shalom is the comprehensive concept of well-being, peace, and welfare which includes love, faithfulness, righteousness, prosperity, and glory. W. Brueggemann (Living Toward a Vision: Biblical Reflections on Shalom [Philadelphia: United Church Press, 1982] 16) has summarized Shalom in vigorous descriptive language with reference to Lev 26:4–6 and Ezek 34:25–29a: ‘It is well-being that exists in the very midst of threats—from sword and drought, and from wild animals. It is well-being of a material, physical, historical kind, not idyllic pie in the sky, but salvation in the midst of trees and crops and enemies—in the very places where people always have to cope with anxiety, struggle for survival, and deal with temptation. It is well-being of a very personal kind . . . but it is also deliberately corporate. If there is to be wellbeing, it will not be just for isolated, insulated individuals; it is rather security and prosperity granted to a whole community—young and old, rich and poor, powerful and dependent. Always we are all in it together.’ This is the word of Yahweh for his people.”[1]

And from Reardon:

Christ, then, “is our peace” (Eph. 2:14), and likewise our “righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). It is of these things that our psalm says: “Righteousness shall go before Him, and He will set His footsteps in the way.” This is the Christ who “came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near” (Eph. 2:17). This the Christ, “being both begotten of the Father before all ages, and created from the Virgin in these final times” (Ambrose, op. cit. 3.9.60).

We pray with confidence, then, in the words of our psalm: “I shall hear what the Lord God speaks within me, for peace will He speak to His people, and to His saints, and to those who turn their hearts to Him.”^[2]

   Christmas isn’t what “it used to be.” The culture seems to have taken hold of Christmas and molded it into its own image of what it thinks Christmas is all about. However, this is nothing new. This has been going on for the last 2000 years in attempt to ignore the reason for the season.

   Yet God is greater and more powerful than societies, cultures, and civilizations. He is the Creator of all things and all people. The Christ child continues to call people who are looking for answers, who are looking for hope, who are seeking that for which only Jesus is the answer. And so, Christmas continues to walk forward bringing hope and salvation to all who will hear.

St. Luke’s Account of the Christ child’s birth; Christmas!

Luke 2:1-14 (King James Version)

   Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

   8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace, good will toward men.

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[1] Tate, Marvin E. Psalms 51–100. WBC 20. Accordance electronic edition, version 2.7. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990.

^[2] Patrick Henry Reardon, Christ in the Psalms (Chesterton, IN: Ancient Faith Publishing, 2000), 168.