It is impossible to miss the supernatural element in the birth of Jesus. Angels pop up all over the Christmas story. An angel told Mary she would give birth to Jesus, who was to "save his people from their sins". An angel told Joseph to call the baby's name Jesus. An angel warned Mary and Joseph to flee to Egypt. An angel told them when it was safe to return to Israel, an angel announced the birth of Christ to the shepherds, and then the angelic choir serenaded them.
Angels certainly
were a supernatural presence multiple times in the Christmas story, but the
mysteries went further. There was also the mysterious star that led the Magi
from some distant land all the way to Bethlehem to the very house where they
found the baby Jesus. Also, the Magi were warned in a dream not to return to
Herod but to go home another way. Angels, stars, and dreams with their
accompanying mystery, awe, and wonder would lead us to say that at the first
Christmas the Supernatural was everywhere. We believe in something absolutely
amazing. It seems at times that we have heard these things so often that we
have forgotten how astounding they are.
As Christians we
believe that this world that we inhabit is not the “real” world. This is just
the “temporary” world. This ball of earth we call home will not last
forever. We believe this world is temporary; only God is eternal. We believe
there is “another world” that is the “real” world. It’s the world of God and of
the angels, of Christ and the Holy Spirit, of heaven and the saints who dwell in
glory. These two worlds exist side by side. We live in one world but we
believe in another world. Or to use a New Testament word picture, we live in
this world but our citizenship is in another world. That’s why the Bible calls
us “aliens” and “strangers” on the earth. We are pilgrims on a journey from
this world that is passing away to a world that will last forever. We are
looking for a city with eternal foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
The world you
see around you will not last forever.“ The world is passing away, along with its
desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (I John 2:17 ESV).
Nothing golden lasts. We are here today, gone tomorrow. Heaven and earth will
pass away but the Word of the Lord will stand forever. The Bible is very
specific about how this world will end. Revelation 16:17-20 speaks of a vast
earthquake in the last days that destroys all the cities of the earth.
Everything that man
builds collapses before his eyes. So it is with everything that is of this
world. Here are some lines from a poem called “Gray’s Elegy” written in a
country churchyard in England:
The boast of
heraldry, the pomp of power
And all that
beauty, all that wealth e’er gave
Awaits alike the
inevitable hour
The paths of
glory lead but to the grave.
It is right at
this point that Christmas becomes so important to us. We are a dying race
living on a dying planet. All that we see around us will someday vanish without
a trace. Despite our best efforts, there is nothing we can do to save
ourselves. If we are to be saved, salvation must come from somewhere else. It
must come from outside of us.
Many miracles
surround Christmas—the angels, the star, the dreams, the prophecies, and most of
all, the virgin birth, but those miracles are just signs pointing to the
greatest miracle of all, that we who live in this world have been visited by
Someone from the “other world.” Someone from the world of light came to the
world of darkness. Someone from the eternal came to the temporary. Someone from
heaven came to live with us on earth!
As Martin Luther
put it, “He whom the worlds could not enwrap yonder lies in Mary’s lap.” That’s
the Incarnation—it’s the central miracle of the Christian faith. If we can
believe that God visited our planet as a little baby 2,000 years ago, we will
have no problem with the rest of what we believe. Richard Dawkins, the famous
atheist, does not believe this because he doesn’t believe there is “another”
world. He thinks this world is the only world there is. He is so wrong.
I close with the
words of Bishop Hillary: “Everything that seems empty is full of the angels of
God.” Sometimes the world around us may seem empty and we may feel entirely
alone, but now and then—Suddenly!—when we least expect it—when we’ve almost
given up hope—when we’re tired or bored or fearful or disgruntled—God breaks
through and the angels start to sing. They sang for some startled shepherds one
night in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago and they still sing today for those who
care to hear them.
Can you hear the
angels singing? They bring good news from the other side, good news of great
joy, the best news the world has ever heard: Joy to the World, the Lord is Come,
Let Earth receive her King!
In
Christ,
Brown
No comments:
Post a Comment