“God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them” (2 Corinthians 5:19).
THE CHRIST OF CHRISTMAS
The birth of Christ was essential to the human race—we had lost all connection with God, we were out on our own, lost sheep far from our shepherd, held in the quagmire of sin’s grip. We were stuck fast in the mirey clay of transgressions, struggling against forces unseen, in need of rest and security but finding none.
Our enthusiasm for anything spiritual had waned, our appetite for God had gone. We lived for this life alone and all the enjoyments it could afford, meagre though they be.
But wait! Praise God that’s not the end of the story because a Saviour has come among us, the Saviour of the human race, the Christ of Christmas is here.
Surely people would love light rather than the darkness that we find ourselves in. But no! Once Jesus started to spell out our slavery to sin and the state of our hardened hearts people did not respond to him with goodwill and faith.
We would have thought that there would be much rejoicing that we could once again have true faith in God our Father, but we read that “He was amazed at their lack of faith” (Mark 6:6).
Men’s hearts will hardly believe there is such a joy to be regained that was lost in the “fall of man”. We have become so transfixed on this world’s ways that even though Christ desires to bring us back to the happiness we once enjoyed, men show no belief and trust in God.
Living by faith and trust is foreign to us but if we call out he will answer. If we hear the knocking and open our hearts he will come in and fellowship with us. For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom 10:13).
The Lord offers rest to the weary soul, comfort to the heavy of heart. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28).
It’s hard for people to believe that there can be such a place of quiet rest where our souls are refreshed and restored rather than brow-beaten and buffeted. But God taught the children of Israel that rest is what he offers, no more slavery in Egypt, no more working seven days a week for cruel task masters. He brought them into the Sinai wilderness a place of rest for them, he provided for them.
He teaches us too: “There remains therefore a rest to the people of God” (Heb 4:9).
So the Lord Jesus came among us and was amazed at people’s lack of faith. But the Lord is returning to earth and the question is: have we learned that faith is the way forward, trust in God through Christ’s blood is the way back home? But “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).
“Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience… So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief” (Heb 4:11, 3:19).
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess” (Heb 4:14).