I have to confess: I don’t like Christmas series. The stories are known. The points are quite the same. Nearly always. But it got me thinking about Christmass: What is it?
It’s like easter: Something that is true the whole year, but we focus on it in a special time. Easter is: God died and rose for you. His resurrection is your resurrection. But what’s Christmas? Its this:
God came to you. You don’t have to come to Him. He already came. You don’t have to fix things, so he can come. He already is at the door. And He is bringing light into darkness, peace into war, life into death.
And this is visible in nearly every prophecy of the coming of the Messiah, nearly in every story of christmas.
Isaiah 9
2 The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
3 You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy (…)
4 For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken (…)
5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end…
Christmas is a celebration of God invading this earth with peace. Which is a contradiction somehow: Invasions are never peaceful. Except this one. This time and season needs peace more than ever. So I think this fits well. Let Him invade with His peace.
