By Pastor Greg...
One Saturday my parents were away, and
my younger sister and I spent the day at home alone. Let me first say that for most of the day we
were well behaved. I can’t stress that
enough. But for a brief moment, we
started to horse around. I started
chasing my sister around the house for some reason I can’t quite recall, and as
she headed into the dining room, she threw a chair on the floor hoping to slow
me down (please note that my sister THREW a dining room chair ON THE
FLOOR!). That chair was nothing more
than a small hurdle for me. Gracefully I
launched myself up and over the chair, intending to hit the ground running and continue
the pursuit. But the moment I became air
born, I knew I was in trouble. Looking
back, it was probably not a good idea to flail my arms in a futile attempt to
change my trajectory.
You know how time seems to freeze when
something terrible is about to happen? I
remember thinking, “I wonder if the spanking is going to hurt.” Not
only did I break a couple of the globes, but also the whole chandelier broke loose from the ceiling.
As I stood there looking in disbelief,
my sister comes back into the room. Now,
she and I have always had such a loving, caring relationship with one
another. I’ve helped her, and here was an opportunity for her to help
me. She took one look at the chandelier
swinging back and forth on the electrical wire that had been pulled from the
plaster and at all the broken glass, and lovingly said: “Boy, you’re really gonna get it when mom and dad get home.”
What a troubling turn of events that
day. Did I mention that we mostly were
well behaved? But because of a series of
unfortunate events, I now found myself awaiting my father’s wrath. And my sister was no help at all.
I must say, those were dark times;
there was much despair as I sat there looking at the clock, dreading the moment
my parents came home. I wonder if this
is how the people of Israel felt. They
had really messed up, and God disciplined them big time! The Assyrian army nearly wiped out every Jew
living in the northern part of the nation.
Foreigners were living
everywhere. But, despite their sin, they
never stopped being God’s children. God
never completely abandoned them. In fact, He says, 1Nevertheless, that time of
darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali
will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the
Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with
glory. 2 The people who
walk in darkness will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a
light will shine
[1]
(Isaiah 9:1-2).
Although the people in this part
of Israel were living in dark times, one day they will be filled with
glory. In the area around the Sea of
Galilee, the people will see a great
light. This, of course, is an apparent reference to Jesus of Nazareth, who
just happened to live near Galilee.
Isaiah further describes Jesus as one who will, “rule
with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all
eternity” [2]
(Verse 7).
Jews living in other parts of the
nation believed this Messiah would show grace to the people of Israel, but
everyone else would feel His wrath. The
Messiah (that is, Jesus) would reestablish David’s kingdom and drive the wicked
people from the land (consider the way Jews hated Samaritans). But the problem
is that this Child whose birthday we celebrate this time of the year is the Prince of Peace. God intended this Wonderful Counselor to be for
all nations and for all people. When
Christ was born, God intended to offer grace and mercy to the world.
Those living in darkness and despair would see a great light. Yes, even people who break chandeliers.
When my parents came home that night,
the first thing I did was beg for grace.
I told them that it was an accident and that I was sorry for what I had
done. My father surprised me. He wondered if either of us was hurt. Then he offered me grace, which really
disappointed my sister.
The birth of Jesus was announced as
Good News. What did the angels say to the shepherds? “I bring you good news
that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born
today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”[3]
(Luke 2:10-11). If the Messiah’s birth
was good news to all people, then God was probably
not planning to make things worse. The
birth of Jesus is supposed to make things better… especially for those who need
to feel grace.
I think we sometimes forget this. Sometimes it seems like Christians want God
to punish all the wicked people out there.
But that attitude does not reflect the spirit of Christmas. The spirit
of Christmas is declared by the angels and echoed in the hearts of Christians
who pray that those living in darkness might experience God’s grace, not His
wrath.
If you have indeed experienced the grace that God offers through this Christmas
Child, then extend that same grace to
those living around you. Pray for them,
especially if they happen to break a chandelier.
[1]Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Holy Bible : New
Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.
[2]Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Holy Bible : New
Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill.:
Tyndale House Publishers.
[3] Tyndale House Publishers.
(2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed., Lk 2:10–11).
Carol Stream, IL
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