Seeking Truth in a Maelstrom of Uncertainty
One of the challenges facing people today is the sifting through the information presented to us in the media in…
What do you enjoy most during Christmas time? For many people, as the song says, “It’s the hap…happiest season of all…the most wonderful time of the year.” And there really is a lot to enjoy—traditions, family gatherings, goodies, gifts, parties and lots of (maybe too much) memorable music. This is why many unbelievers love this season too. But what puts the joy in Christmas for Christians? What makes this season any different for the believer than any other time of year. After all Christ-Mass is a Christian holiday. We can’t have the pagans out enjoy us in our own holiday. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the traditions and treats of Christmas. But aside from all of the wonderful traditions that unbelievers enjoy, what makes Christmas especially joyful for Christians?
Christians should rejoice in Christmas. The angels certainly did.
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 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 among those with whom he is pleased! (Luke 2:8-14)
Why were the angels so excited? I think in part, it was that a long-suppressed mystery had finally been revealed to them. As Peter writes, It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. (1 Pet. 1:12) The angels rejoiced because they were finally getting insight into how God would redeem the world. They were rejoicing because the bridegroom was finally making his move to woo his bride. In fact, Jesus used this analogy to explain to the disciples of John why his disciples did not follow all the traditions of the pharisees. He explained…Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. 17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved. (Matt. 9:14-17) The Pharisees were stuck trying to find life (joy) in the tradition (albeit a good one), rather than in the person and his momentous significance. Similarly, Christians also get stuck in their search for joy in the traditions of Christmas and miss the true joy—the joys that the angels understood—that the bridegroom was finally making his move.
The angels continue to rejoice today, as people become part of Christ’s bride— Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Lk. 15:10; cf. v.7). We are told that the angels will rejoice again when the bridegroom comes to claim his bride—
Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. (Rev. 19:6-8)
As members of the body of Christ, Christ’s bride, we need to remember that we have been bought with a price; we are no longer our own but belong body and soul to our blessed Redeemer (1 Cor. 6:20). In a very real sense, we are still in the betrothal part of our salvation, awaiting its full consummation when Christ returns.
When a man proposes to a girl, he traditionally offers a token of his pledge, usually a ring. Likewise, when Jesus called us to himself, he gave us a guarantee of our future with him by sealing us with the most precious gift of all—the second person of the Trinity— In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Eph 1:13-14) So for now we have his seal and promise, and we rejoice as we await his return, rejoicing in the confidence that he will return for us.
Christians especially rejoice at Christmas as we recall that the promise of our complete salvation far outweighs our present circumstances (2 Cor. 4:16-18). Therefore, we rejoice as we remember that the best is yet to come, and so we eagerly anticipate his imminent return.
