Friday, 25 December 2009
And Christ is in the centre
It's Chriiiiiiiiistmas Day!!!!!! Presents are unwrapped and turkey is cooking. But I don't want to talk about that right now, there's one more Christmas shape left to show you. Now, I know, this one isn't often associated with Christmas, and is usually reserved for another time of year, but I think today is a very good day to look at it closely and remember what it's about.
The final Christmas shape is the cross.
Yes, it is more traditionally associated with Easter, and I know some Christians who do not feel it appropriate to dwell on the cross at Christmas. But that seems absurd to me, because the cross is what it's all about. The cross is the fulfilment of the whole plan. Christ came to earth to save us from our sins, and He accomplished his mission on the cross. And after descending into Hell, he rose again, defeating even Death!
None of which would have happened, if he hadn't first been born a human baby that first Christmas Day all those centuries ago...
As Paul says, in his second letter to Timothy, chapter 1, verses 9-10 (NIV translation):
“This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus,
who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”
God is so amazing, He planned it all, right from the very beginning. He knew we'd get into trouble and mess things up, so He decided to send His only Son to fix things for us through His sacrifice on the cross. Why? Because of God's boundless Love.
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers,
neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans Chapter 8, verses 38-39, NIV
That sums it all up, really. That is what we are celebrating today: the amazing, limitless Love that God has for all of us, no matter what sins we've committed or how poorly we or other people think of us.
