A Christmas Carol, revisited

Although Charles Dickens did not claim Christianity that I'm aware, he did write quite the story of redemption in "A Christmas Carol". I'll assume you know the story and not attempt to address it here.  I do want to make mention of one quote I read once.  The setting is with the spirit of Christmas present, he has taken Scrooge to see his nephew's party.  Dickens then says they started playing a game called "forfeits".

But they didn’t devote the whole evening to music. After a while they played at forfeits; for it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself. 

That's what got my attention, "it's mighty Founder was a child himself".  Praise God!  How very true.  The prophet Isaiah had predicted it 700 years prior to His birth.

^uFor to us a child is born, 

to us ^va son is given; 

^wand the government shall be ^xupon¹ his shoulder, 

and his name shall be called² 

Wonderful ^yCounselor, ^zMighty God, 

^aEverlasting ^bFather, Prince of ^cPeace. 

⁷  Of the increase of his government and of peace 

^dthere will be no end, 

on the throne of David and over his kingdom, 

to establish it and to uphold it 

^ewith justice and with righteousness 

from this time forth and forevermore. 

^fThe zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. 

It was the "zeal of the Lord" that made it happen.  This Jesus understands the human condition.  He was a child himself, that became the sacrifice for all of our sin. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Now, two thousand years after the birth of Jesus, He makes it possible for us to have relationship with Him....sin free  (Romans 10:9-10).

May the wonder of the Good News be rich upon your heart this Christmas

Angels, We Have Heard on High, that It Came Upon a Midnight Clear!

There are a lot of myths about Angels, but the Bible tells the truth about them.  Consider all they had to do before, during and after the birth of our Lord! The messages of the Angels that brought about the first Christmas were numerous.  First was the message of Gabriel to Zecheriah announcing the coming of John the Baptist (Luke 1:11-20) Then the same angel Gabriel gave the message to Mary six months later (Luke 1:26-38)  That was followed by the appearance of the Angel of the Lord in a dream to Joseph (Matthew 1:20-24).  God was superintending the coming of Jesus to the world. Then, on that glorious night of His birth. The Angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds out in the field.  This was followed by a great company of the heavenly host with the angel. (Luke 2:8-15). Some time later, to avoid the onslaught of the males of Bethlehem by the evil King Herod, the Angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream and instructed him to take he and his family to Egypt. (Matthew 2:13-14). Finally, after the death of Herod, the Angel of the Lord informed Joseph of the death of Herod and gave instruction to return to Israel. (Matthew 2:16-23). All along the way, God was orchestrating the coming of His Son into the world.  When James Montgomery penned the words to Angels from the Realms of Glory, he focused on the impact the message of the Angels would have not only on the biblical world, but every generation following.  My favorite line from this anthem is bolded.  There is a time to "leave your contemplations" and embrace the living Christ!  Angels, from the realms of glory, wing your flight o’er all the earth; ye who sang creation’s story, now proclaim Messiah’s birth: Shepherds, in the fields abiding, watching o’er your flocks by night, God with man is now residing; yonder shines the infant Light: Sages, leave your contemplations, brighter visions beam afar; seek the great desire of nations; ye have seen His natal star: Saints before the altar bending, watching long in hope and fear, suddenly the Lord, descending, in His temple shall appear: Refrain: Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the new-born King. Then, an American Harvard graduate, writing in 1849, wrote these grand words.  Notice how the message of the angels draws our attention to all aspects of the Gospel.  For one, the effect of forgiveness of sin results in peace with God (Romans 5:1)  If you find yourself "beneath life's crushing load, may the words to this song be a blessing to you!  The Bible says that Christ "ever lives" to make intercession for us. (Hebrews 7:25), and finally, the Christian hope for the future.  No matter your condition today, you have hope that one day Jesus will return to bring justice to the earth and hope to His people. At that point, "the whole world will give back the song which now the angels sing". (Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:11) It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old, from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold: “Peace on the earth, good will to men, from heav’n’s all gracious King!” The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing. And ye, beneath life’s crushing load, whose forms are bending low, who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow, look now! for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing: O rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing. For lo, the days are hast’ning on, by prophet bards foretold, when with the ever circling years comes round the age of gold when peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling, and the whole world give back the song which now the angels sing. May your Christmas Season be filled with the Joy of knowing the living Christ!