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Volume. XXXVI, No. 25 Fear Not; Our Saviour Is Born Christmas shopping, ho ho of Santa and hallelujah carols fill the malls. Everyone is rushing to get gifts. So many fun and exciting days are just around the corner. The world rushes on without even pondering what Christmas is all about. But the Bible tells us what Christmas is all about? At the appointed time, two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ was born in fulfilment of Bible prophecies that "...when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4:4,5) By the power of the Holy Spirit, God's Eternal Son Jesus Christ miraculously came into this world through the Virgin Mary to be our Saviour.
Christmas is God seeking to save wretched and depraved sinners like us through the birth of His Eternal Son, Jesus Christ. We read in Matthew 1:23 - "Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us". Matthew 1:21 elaborates, "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins". The world celebrates Christmas only in name but is not prepared to admit their need of Christ. But Christmas is all about the Christ who came to save them from their sins. Christmas is about God taking the initiative to make peace with us who are at enmity with Him because we sinned against Him.
Dear Friends, Jesus was born to die for our sins. On the cross, Jesus suffered, shed His precious blood and died as the substitute for our sins. He was buried. But on the third day, He rose again from the dead according to the Scriptures (I Corinthians 15:3,4). Oh, the amazing love of God towards us who are wretched sinners. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Only Jesus can save us from eternal damnation and reconcile us to God. Only through His finished work on the cross can we have our sins forgiven and receive God's gift of life everlasting.
Have you accepted Christ as your Saviour? If you have not yet received Christ, will you turn to Him this Christmas, in humble prayer acknowledge you are a sinner, confess and repent of your sins and accept the Lord Jesus to be your Saviour today? Today, you need not have to look for a star in the sky to lead you to Christ. The Word of God is God's light to you. Isaiah 55:6 - "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near". God says, "And ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13).
When we have Jesus, we need not be afraid of neither the present nor the future. The angel’s message on Christmas night is for us too. Fear not. “Fear not... for unto you is born this day... a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” If you do a word search on “Fear not”, you will learn that the words “Fear not” appear in the Bible exactly 365 times. Every day, we can claim one promise of God and believe in Him and lay aside our fears. Did you ever wonder why we are not to fear? The reason, of course, is that a Savior who is born in our heart is also a deliverer, a rescuer, one who is adequate to free us from any threat and danger in any situation. The shepherd and the wise men need not fear Herod or the Roman officials neither do they need to be ashamed of their sinfulness or failures or guilt. Do not fear, for Jesus is near, the God Immanuel. Friend, no matter the gravity of your situation in life, trust in Jesus and He will turn your fear into faith and fill your heart with joy.
The absence of fear must naturally bring the presence of joy. Christian joy is not the result of favourable circumstances, but the joy is based on our trust in Jesus, our Saviour and sovereign God. James 1:2 "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience". Because of Christmas, even during trials, we can experience joy if we make a deliberate and careful decision to trust in Jesus.
As I look back to the year 2021, I have my wounds and sorrows, and I am pretty sure you have your disappointments and discouragements too. I recall this commentary by Presbyterian pastor Lloyd John on James 1 and relating to his experience when he went through the worst year of his life. His wife went through many surgeries, the church had problems, but he wrote, "The greatest discovery that I have made amid all the difficulties is that I can have joy when I can't feel like it. When I had every reason to feel beaten, I felt joy. Despite everything, God gave me the conviction of being loved and the certainty that nothing could separate me from him. At no time did he give me the easy confidence that everything would work out as I wanted it on my timetable but that he was in charge and would give me and my family enough courage for each day: grace. Joy is always the result of that". His grace is sufficient for me. In a similar manner Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Cor 7:4 "I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation”. He does not promise to take the problem away, but He says he will take us through it. He will strengthen us to face it and give us courage and peace and joy in the midst of it.
I share this during Christmas so that we all will realize we can experience the pure joy of Christmas in spite of pain, discouragement, or fear. I read a nice definition of a Christian. A Christian is completely fearless, continually cheerful, and constantly in trouble. God knows all about us and our tomorrows and all He asks from us is to trust Him today. Right now, you can find the real meaning of Christmas -- Christ within! Then fear will be a stranger, and faith is your constant friend and the guiding factor in your life. Come to Him wholeheartedly and experience the true joy that Jesus gives this Christmas. To the shepherds watching their flocks by night, the angel of the Lord announced, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11).
May the joy of our Saviour's birth and what He has done for us draw us even closer to God to love Him and obey His Word. May the Holy Spirit empower us to magnify the Lord in worship and adoration with the "… multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men" (Luke 2:13b -14). We wish you a joyous and Christ-filled, Blessed Christmas.
Rev Mathews Abraham |
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