Christmas 2020

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows … And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:18-21 NKJV.

…and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory … with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Matthew 24:30-31 NKJV.

Not long now until Christmas.  What a year it has been!  The year 2020 will go down in many of our books as humongous horribelous!  A bad memory.  Forgettable.  I’m sure we found ourselves doing things we didn’t plan to, functioning in roles we didn’t ask for, and having to come up with answers we don’t have, to questions we’ve never thought of.

And yet, many Churches around the world rose to the occasion.  New forms and functions of ministry were launched almost overnight.  And the fruit that came about during that time is amazing.  Many churches report high numbers of people connecting online, and many were later baptised who came to Christ during the lockdown.  They’d heard about the love of Jesus via the internet and an online church service.

Some parts of the world are still in the grips of the COVID-19 virus.  Others not so much.  We send our love to every Brief Word reader wherever you are, and whatever the circumstances are like in your world.

For this the last Brief Word of 2020, I want to think a little differently about Christmas.  Christmas is the time when we remember that God loved us, and sent His Son to come to the earth, to take on humanity and live a sinless life.

When I think of Christmas, I think (and thank God, I mean I can’t help but bow in adoration and worship) that now, as we live post His first coming, we have so much when we are in Him.

But here’s the thought that’s been occupying my mind about Christmas lately.  He came that first time, born a little baby, He became the suffering servant, who gave His life on the Cross for us.

But He is coming again!  He is coming a second time.  And we live in the time between His first and His second coming.  When He comes again, it will be different!  His second coming will be triumphant, glorious, and all will know about it.  He will come the second time as triumphant King.

Remember those words of Paul when he spoke of the communion service;

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 1 Corinthians 11:26 NKJV.

When we take communion, we are proclaiming His first coming, and acknowledging His second.  We are thanking God for Christ’s first coming and the gift of Salvation we now have, but we also look forward to His second coming, when we will be united with Him forever!

Christmas reminds me of His first coming – Salvation.  It also reminds me of His second coming – eternal unity with Him!

I drew a bit of a graphic to illustrate this.  It is simplistic, as there are other events that could be noted in the scheme of end times things, but, this is a basic picture and illustration of the main events.

Jesus came the first time to the Cross.  We now live post His first coming, and pre His second coming.  Some would say we are very close to His second coming.  One day, He will come, with great glory, with trumpets, and power.  The saints will then rise and be with Jesus forever and ever.  (Remember I mentioned it is a simplistic illustration).

Christmas is all about celebrating His first coming – and we ought to remember, celebrate wholeheartedly and tell the story.  Christmas is about the miraculous virgin birth.  It is about the fulfilment of numerous Old Testament prophecies.  It is about angels, shepherds, a lowly stable, it is about Mary and Joseph and all they went through.  It is about Jesus being our Saviour and sanctifier, our sacrifice and Sovereign.  It is about love, forgiveness, atonement, redemption, justification, righteousness!  Restoration of relationship with God the Father.

We must make Him known, while we can.  We must get this word out, tell the story, that Jesus saves!

Have we appropriated that first coming?  Have we given our lives to Christ, have we received the forgiveness He came to purchase for us, have we received all that Christ came to earth to secure for us?  Have we?

But Christmas also reminds us of His second coming.  He is coming again!  Are we ready for that coming?  Are we prepared?

While we live between His first and second coming, we Wait, Watch, Work, and Worship.  We Wait patiently resting in His grace and favour.  We Watch, knowing the signs of the times.  We Work, while we can knowing the time is short.  And we Worship, knowing He came the first time to save us, and He is coming again to take us to be with Him forever!

His first coming, to be celebrated.  His second coming, to be anticipated.

Wendy and I take this opportunity to thank you for being a valued part of the Brief Word family, and we wish you and your loved ones a wonderful Christmas 2020.  May the peace and presence of the Christ of Christmas be with you in special ways.

Maranatha! 

Come Lord Jesus!

Issue #106 DECEMBER 2020. Brief Word comes out every month. Feel free to forward, photocopy and/or post this Brief Word to your Friends. You may be the very means God uses to impact someone’s life with the reality of the love of Jesus and the life changing power of God’s Word. If you wish to be on our regular E-Mailing list, please use the SUBSCRIBE form . If you would prefer to receive this E-Mail in Plain Text, please inform us. If you no longer wish to receive the Brief Word, you can unsubscribe at any time. Check out www.goodwords.nz for free articles, archive copies of Brief Word and other resources.