‘Twas the night before Christmas, all was well. Tree decorated and remarkable stories to tell. Families gather throughout the globe; they ready their fires to combat winter’s cold. Yet some have forgotten the actual meaning, they have forgotten that Jesus is the reason for the season.
Dear Hosea Clothing readers, we hope you are having a wonderful Christmas period. We know you must be thrilled and overjoyed that its just one more sleep till you rip open your presents, enjoy delicious food and spend quality time with your loved ones. All this is great and amazing, but we need to remember the reason we are here, why we celebrate this important holiday, so let us reflect on why it was so important for Jesus to come to Earth.
Let us go back to the beginning, the book of Genesis. God took six days to create this beautiful planet we call home. He looked at the void and through His words He created the sun, moon, stars and then to conclude it He made humans. His own people made in His image. He made one from the dust of the ground, Adam. Then He made the other from Adam’s rib, Eve, male and female. He looked at them and He was pleased. He chose to dwell with them in a beautiful haven called the Garden of Eden. The humans dwelt with God in close proximity, nothing blocked them, all was perfect, they had all that they wanted.
However, one day a cunning serpent appeared to the woman. He used his words to deceive her, questioning God’s command and character. Adam and Eve fell for the serpent's deception, they decided to disobey the command of their Creator and therefore created a rift between them. This act of disobedience is known as sin, God’s creation that was once sinless was now tainted. In tainting themselves they also tainted all their descendants. They could now not live near their God but live outside of their former paradise home. They were destined to live a life of hardship, a life of hard labour, but God did not leave them or ever give up on them.
Since Adam and Eve sinned, they condemned their descendants to the same fate as them, death. A death that was not physical but spiritual, one that would take them away from their Creator forever. But thankfully the one who created them, God, was and is wiser than us. So, He had a plan, He would reconcile His creation back to Him. God told their descendants to sacrifice spotless animals and grains, to pay as an offering to cover their sins. They could not fully atone Adam and Eve's sin, because sin was in their nature and is passed down through blood. This wasn’t God’s permanent plan, even from Genesis He prophesied the redemption. Many in this lineage had faith, they had faith that their Creator, their God would save them, they would have that intimacy with Him like their ancestors in the Garden of Eden. These that had faith in him were the ones He separated to make a great nation; he called them Israel. Throughout the Old Testament we see the history of God’s people, the trials and triumphs they faced. Yet, no matter how much they disobeyed God, He never left them, He always provided for them. He rescued them from slavery, He continued to feed and clothe them, He provided them Judges, Kings and Queens. He continued to speak to His people. However, they were still stained by sin. Israel needed a new plan!
God knew only one way to save them, so He began to reveal it slowly but surely through His prophets. He told the prophet Isaiah to tell His people “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end,” (Isaiah 9:6-7). Israel needed a saviour, but they did not realise that He was going to come in the form of a baby.
It is here we are introduced to The One who is the reason for the season, the basis of the Christmas story, Jesus Christ. The everlasting God. The one who created these humans became one. He was the one the prophets foretold, the pure spotless lamb, more sufficient than any of the other sacrifices the Israelites offered. He was by his earthly father, a descendant of the mighty King of Israel, David, fulfilling the prophecies made by the Old Testament Prophets. He came proving that God still had a plan for His people, that God still desired for life in nearness with them. He was born to the virgin Mary in Bethlehem as she was favoured in the sight of the Lord. Many travelled far to greet this saviour. Shepherds and Wise men came to behold baby Jesus, remembering the prophecies.
Jesus being fully God became fully human. He grew up. He lived a blameless life. He led a perfect ministry. He taught the scriptures, even dumbfounding the Chief Priests with His wisdom and intense knowledge. He illuminated the purpose of the scriptures and the deeper meanings of them in a way that all could understand. He was the perfect one to bridge that gap between Man and God and He did. He fulfilled the old covenant and began a new one as He took our sins and died alone on the Cross not just for Israel but for all humanity and better yet it did not stop there. Jesus rose again, He proved that unlike us He had the power to overcome death and sin. We celebrate the fact that our Loving God saved us, and this is the basis of the Gospel we preach that by now accepting Jesus as our Saviour by faith and through the power of His Holy Spirit we overcome death and sin too. We can have freedom and live with Him eternally.
So, as you eat your turkeys, as you pop your crackers and as you enjoy all the festivities. Remember Jesus will remain the forever reason to this festive season.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!
- your Hosea Clothing team.
Scripture References:
· Genesis 1-3
· Matthew
· Luke
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