Christmas is Coming!
with its season of traditions of Trees, tinsel, songs, food and presents.
But we could also say
Christmas has Come
- 2000 years ago Jesus entered this world as a baby in a manger cradle as - Immanuel - God with us.
- we remember that first Advent of Jesus when we celebrate Christmas each year (although sadly our world thinks little of the fact that Christmas is about Christ!)
- and yes, the Cradle led to the Cross, Jesus was born to die, for us and thus Christmas is also about Easter, and then about the Ascension of Christ too.
Yet there is a Coming we can often forget, that is truly still to come, a Coming that is the whole purpose of Christmas….
But I rarely hear this talked about at Christmas … this is the 'Coming' spoken about at the end of the last chapter of the last book of the bible - Revelation 22...and I would encourage you to read the whole of the book of Revelation in the lead-up to Christmas Day.
(it is interesting that Handel's 'Messiah' links the gospels to words from Revelation, and is sung at Christmas)....
It's the second Advent, the Coming of Jesus again, his second Coming, not as a baby to die, but as a King to reign.
So maybe we should be saying….Christ mas is Coming
Interestingly enough, for anyone who uses a 'read the bible through in a year' bible reading plan, Christmas lands right at the last book of the Bible. Yet we rarely, if ever, pause to make the connection.
But the cradle and the cross were not the end of the story. The end of the story is yet to come. The purpose of the cradle that led to the cross is yet to come. A shame story is yet to end in full glory.
The Garden of Eden began in glory and quickly descended into shame after only a couple of chapters. From there, until the last couple of chapters in Scripture, that shame of sin stays present in our human story. In the midst of that, from Adam and Eve's sin that ushered in shame for this world - to the shame filled birth of our Saviour laid in a manger - to the shame filled cross on which our Saviour died, it is the mess that fills the story of humanity's hopeless state.
But alongside this was another story, one of hope in the midst of hopelessness.
Jesus let go of his heavenly honour to be born into an honour-less situation in the eyes of people of the world.
But God gave a glimpse, for those who cared to think and see,
that the road to restored honour had begun.
For though laid in a manger for a cradle,
Jesus' birth was announced to the lowly shepherds with a huge angelic choir from heaven, and
surrounding them with the glory of the Lord,
and then he was brought highly valuable gifts from kings.
Joseph and Mary were willing to endure a life of shame in the eyes of their community
in order to glorify the Lord and say, 'be it unto me according to your word'.
Then after the most shameful death after a shaming lead-up to death,
Jesus was given the tomb of a wealthy man from which death could not hold him and he rose again on the third day as he had said
and then he was received back into heaven to the place of honour at the right hand of the Father's throne.
Yet, we who follow Christ, and are found 'in Him' and belong to God's Kingdom family, still endure the shame and suffering as servants of the Master who endured for us.
But we are told that though we experience sin in this world, we have already been given the positional place of glory in Christ, seated with him in heaven.
And the story hasn't yet ended…..
It is the end of the story and the ultimate glory yet to come which delivers our true dignity, defines our lives on earth, drives our perseverance, and determines our destiny.
It is in the last chapters of Revelation that we see the hope fulfilled of the glory that flows through the story of Scripture, where Satan is defeated to suffer and be shamed forever along with his workers and followers on earth and his demonic forces, and where the saints that make up the church are adorned, and rewarded with crowns, as the full glorification of Christ's body is completed and brought into the presence of God forever and ever.
Immanuel - God with us isn't only a Christmas cradle story, and doesn't even end with the cross,
but culminates with God's purpose to dwell with man forever (Revelation 21:3) in unhindered glory.
And yes that is only possible as the holy glory of man, lost at the Fall, is restored in the holy glory of Christ 'in whom we live and move and have our being', so that man and God can dwell together in eternal glory and honour.
The purpose of the manger-cradle and the cross is not just to have our sins forgiven as an end in itself, but so that the purpose of God's glory story can be fulfilled.
The shameful cross is only filled with glory and honour for the Christian because the resurrection and ascension leads us to look to the ultimate second Coming of Christ, with his Crowns of honour as King of Kings….where we are not just going to attend a Christmas day roast turkey and ham, but we are called to an eternal marriage supper of the Lamb, as his bride the church, and with the example of the 24 elders, honouring him by laying our crowns at his feet.
It is as the true glory of man is restored - through being 'in' the glory of the Son and his glory lived out through us, and brought to completion (all to God's glory and honour), that God's glory plan is fulfilled. Christ's crown of thorns is yet to become the multiple crowns of Revelation 19 (not just in victory over all the kingdoms of the earth, but from the saints crowns given back to him our King).
As the coming year is set to be the crowning of the new King Charles III and media has just announced the late Queen's crown has already been taken to begin alterations to make it fit for the new king, maybe we need to turn our thoughts to much greater crowns and the King of Kings!
Jesus is yet to return to this world with the golden crown of honour as King. We are yet to receive our reward crowns. He is yet to ride and rule with his multiple crowns as King of Kings. We are yet to have the true Christ-celebration feast. We are yet to leave suffering and pain and sin's presence behind. Satan is yet to be judged. Full glory is yet to be known and full honour is yet be given to our God.
But that day is coming!
But also, let us also remember that while we are still on this earth, the Christmas trees and tinsel, songs and presents, must remind us that Jesus is coming again. It means hope for those of us who are found in the glory of Christ. But it also means there is an urgent message to bring to those still in shame and without hope. Let us be spurred on in motivation to share Christ and to more eagerly look toward His Coming again.
Amen, Come Lord Jesus!
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