Christmas is a scandal.
Now I'm not raging at the rampant commercialism of a sacred religious holiday. Nor am I lamenting at the lack of 'Christ' in most people's CHRISTmas celebrations.
The real scandal of Christmas is the incarnation. That God would literally 'take on flesh'.
It is outrageous to think that the infinite and holy God who created and sustains all things would voluntarily become finite to live with unholy sinners like you and me.
It is actually the scandal of Christmas that separated Christianity from Islam and Judaism. Muslims and Jews think that it is absurd and even blasphemous to believe that a holy God would humiliate and humble himself by becoming human. But that is exactly what we Christians celebrate every Christmas.
And what would drive a holy God to such depths of humility?
Love.
As the Apostle John writes, "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." John 4:9-10
The church father, Augustine of Hippo, preached these powerful and insightful words about the incarnation,
He so loved us that, for our sake,
He was made man in time, although through him all times were made.
He was made man, who made man.
He was created of a mother whom he created.
He was carried by hands that he formed.
He cried in the manger in wordless infancy, he the Word,
without whom all human eloquence is mute.
–Augustine, Sermon 188, 2
That Jesus was born, God took on flesh, he entered into the muck and mess of humanity is driven scandalous love.
Over the last few days I've been loving this CityAlight song - What Love, My God. Although it's not a traditional Christmas carol it totally nails the scandalous love of Christmas.
What love my God would bring you down to earth
What king would take a low and lonely birth
Yet to this dark and broken place you came
To sleep beneath the stars that you had made
Do you know that love? Who can you share the hope of that love with this Christmas?
Grace & peace,
Andrew
P.S. Thanks for your partnership in the gospel during 2022. God has been very kind to our church whanau and we've had the joy and privilege of seeing many come to know Jesus and grow as his followers.
We pray you have a safe and happy Christmas celebrating our saviour's birth and look forward to continuing to serve Christ together in 2023. Meri Kirihimete!