What if Christmas was cancelled?
Christmas Day is almost here and it’s not going to be what anyone wanted. After 10 months of struggle, restrictions and hardships the build up to ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ has just not felt the same.
It’s been said that ‘Christmas has been cancelled’, and you can see why! Not being able to share Christmas with family and friends is a massive blow to millions. But can you imagine life without Christmas at all? No presents, no turkey, no decorations, no carols, no Scrooge, no ‘Home Alone’, no Santa! And more importantly no Jesus!
Our many Christmas traditions can obscure the birth of a baby in Bethlehem some 2000 years ago, which is where Christmas began. The book of John in The Bible puts it like this...
“He (Jesus) came to the world that was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God. They did not become his children in any human way - by any human parents or human desire. They were born of God. The Word became a human and lived among us. We saw his glory - the glory that belongs to the only Son of the Father - and he was full of grace and truth.”
So, if there was no Christmas, we could not know God. In other words, you and I would be left on our own, muddling through life, with no purpose or hope. This last year has emphasised what it means to be isolated, lonely and hopeless. Not a nice place to be in!
But despair not...the first Christmas did happen. Nothing could stop God in His great plan to reconnect us to Himself and bring meaning, purpose, hope for this life and beyond! God sent Jesus into the world as a light that shines in the darkness, a defiant hope in spite of everything.
The Bible has several other names for Jesus, and there is one which has real significance this year: Immanuel, which means God with us. As we come to the end of a most miserable and difficult year there is a light in the darkness. His name is Jesus. We may be alone, but Jesus is with us! Christmas is not cancelled! Let me conclude with the last verse of the magnificent carol, ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’ which beautifully sums up the message of Christmas...
Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris'n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Also, why not check out our live stream service every Sunday at 10:30am, simply go to www.hopebasingstoke.org/livestream
Stay safe & God bless
Gary Bastin - Hope Community Church leader