(1)Genesis 3:8-15, 17-19, (2)Genesis 22:15-18 (3) Isaiah 9:2,6-7 (4)Micah 5:2-4 (5)Matthew 1:18-23 (6) Luke 2:1-7 (7)Luke 2:8-20, (8)Matthew 2:1-12 (9) John 1:1-14.
REFLECTION
The nine Scripture texts read before or during the day of Christmas is the brief history of God’s plan and purpose for humanity. It is the history of salvation.
In Genesis 3:8-15, 17-19, we see the sin or disobedience of Adam and Eve which led to the fall of humanity. God had desired a glorious and eternal life for humanity in the Garden of Eden but for the disobedience of mankind.
When Adam and Eve and others who had come after them departed, God in Genesis 22:15-18 chose and established a new covenant with humanity through Abraham. This is an indication that God does not give up on us. He always makes provision for our redemption. God made a promise to Abraham that “through your offspring, all nations on earth will be blessed because you have obeyed me. (Genesis 22:18)
Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 9:2,6-7 re-echoes God’s covenant and promise by making known to Isreal that, the promised offspring will be the light to the people walking the dark and He will be a descendant of King David who shall rule as the just and righteous King. This message brought great hope to Isaiah’s contemporaries since they lived in an era where the Assyrian empire ruled over them. Again, most people were spiritually deaf and blind because of Sin. Isaiah kept God’s covenant promise alive to the faithful Israelites. The promise was that when the promised offspring and King comes, He shall establish a new government with them and “…the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace, there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.” (Isaiah 9:6-7). It is for reason John revealed to us in the book of Revelations that “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)
At a time, when corruption and oppression were prevalent in Israel in Prophet Micah’s era, He assured the hopefuls of Isreal in Micah 5:2-4 to prepare for the advent of the promised offspring and descendant of King David, who will rule over Israel. “…He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. (Micah 5:4).
Matthew 1:18-23 and Luke 2:1-7 testify to us that God’s everlasting covenant promise made to the past generations about the advent of Abraham and David’s offspring had been finally fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. The first advent of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ came to pass when Mary had conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit and Jesus, the promised offspring of Abraham and the Descendant of David was born. Immanuel! God physically came to be among humanity. God had fulfilled His covenant promise. Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!
Luke 2:8-20 further testifies that the birth of the Messiah brought joy to heaven and earth, and the Good News of the Lord’s birth brought favour and peace upon the Shepherds who hitherto had been considered as irrelevant according to the social structure or class. Indeed, Jesus came to elevate the lowly. Paul’s admonishment to the Corinthians is relevant at this point when he wrote that “by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not —to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. ” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29). Usually, when a king is born it is the royals that are first informed and invited to see the new born king but the favour of the Lord was upon the shepherds because when the King of the Universe was born, the heavenly host broke the news to them first. The era of grace was inaugurated by Jesus’s birth and we the lowly and non-entities have become beneficiaries of God’s grace through Jesus Christ. May this Christmas bring upon you and your family God’s blessings, favour and elevation!
Matthew 2:1-12 goes ahead to indicate that the advent of the Lord is not for only the Jews but the world. The wise men from the East represent non-Jews who have come to honour the King of the Universe. Prophet Isaiah had already prophesied that “Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD.” (Isaiah 60:6) Prophesy had been fulfilled, Jesus is not only the King of the Jews but the King of the world.
Finally, in John 1:1-14 we experience Jesus as the Word and the Light of God to the world. Through Jesus, we have become the Children of God. This is the message of Christmas and the message of Salvation. Anyone can become the child of God by accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour through repentance and trusting in His Word to bring light into his or her life so that he or she will live to please and glorify God. This is the message of God’s peace, love and hope to the world which we must preach to the world during the time of Advent season and Christmas. We realise that at every given time in History God kept His covenant and promises alive till it was fulfilled through the birth and ministry of Jesus Christ. We are in the era of the second Advent of Jesus Christ, we have no excuse because the Holy Spirit continue to sustain us in Christ Jesus and the grace of God is forever sufficient in our lives. Let us continue to preach the Good News to those who are still behind the wall of salvation. May the Lord bless and keep us safe as we await the second coming of Jesus, Christ. Shalom
Jean-Paul Agidi (Rev)
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