The more I appreciate the narrative of Scripture (to put it simply: creation, fall, jesus, redemption) the more I have grown to appreciate Christmas. It used to be for me that Jesus’ birth was kinda, well, anti-climatic. His birth is nice and all, but let’s just get the presents and then get on to the cross/resurrection for what really matters.
Now, I don’t want to minimize the cross at all. I don’t want to de-emphasize the meaning of the resurrection. But for me, understanding the unified narrative of Scripture has helped the birth of our savior be more meaningful to me.
When you enter into the narrative, you begin to realize the desperateness at which Israel (and also the world) was waiting for a Messiah. Jesus’ birth was not only the beginning of of his journey to the cross. Jesus’ birth was a magnificent moment because it meant that the long awaited promised one had finally come. The narrative of the Bible hits dramatic moment and the wait as over. Jesus is here.
Today, we aren’t waiting for him to come. He has already come. We’re further along in the narrative. Because of this its easy to forget just how significant it was that this child was born. We are no longer awaiting a messiah who will rescue and deliver us. We’ve been delivered from sin and death. He has risen. Christmas reminds us of a time when this wasn’t true.
Of course, we are still waiting. The story is not over. We await the world’s full redemption. We desperately await for the Messiah’s return. All of creation groans….
We remember the coming of the Messiah this Christmas, the long awaited one. And as we remember his coming we sing and long for his return again, “Father, let your Kingdom come and until then let your will be done here on earth as it is in heaven.”
Man, I love Christmas.