I love Christmas! As a child, time seemed to move incredibly slowly in the days leading up to Christmas Day! But that is nothing compared with the hundreds of years that elapsed between the prophecies of the coming Messiah and that very first Christmas Day when Jesus, born in Bethlehem’s stable, became God’s gift to all mankind.
Now as a much older man, thankful for each and every year God gives me, I have not lost the joy and excitement of Christmas celebrations. Singing the familiar carols, especially Charles Wesley’s amazing words in ‘Hark the herald angels sing’, unashamedly brings tears to my eyes and joy rises up from my spirit.
I used to get angry at the secularization of the Christmas festival – but no longer. We might wish it was different, but how can we be angry with people who do not know Jesus and, therefore, simply make the most of the holiday season for their own personal enjoyment and gift-exchange traditions? But I am deeply saddened that, for most, the season is one of temporal happiness instead of eternal joy because they have never come to a personal knowledge of their Saviour.
I do get frustrated, therefore, and maybe even a little angry, when people who do know Jesus seem to have lost any sense of the urgency of the Gospel and seem to have little desire to enter into everything that the coming of Jesus meant, and God intended, for mankind. Jesus did not come to be an image on a Christmas Card, or be an excuse for an annual family get together, precious though such events can be.
Jesus not only came to save people from their sin (that’s what the name Jesus actually means), but also to establish a bridgehead for His kingdom on Planet Earth and open a door through which people may enter into the Kingdom of God, as born-again believers, for time and eternity.
Jesus came into a world that was ruled by an imposter king, who had tricked mankind into handing over to him the keys of earthly authority, so that “the whole world came under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Satan’s eternal destiny was to be the lake of fire prepared for the devil and all his angels (Matthew 25:41). When mankind submitted to Satan’s temptations and joined in his rebellion against the living God, man’s eternal destiny became the same as Satan’s.
Believers are not just meant to be saints looking forward to Heaven. They are also meant to be ambassadors for Christ on Earth, living in a fallen world, yet experiencing the priceless blessing of also being a citizen of the Kingdom of God, with a divine mandate to run a rescue shop beside the gates of Hell! Jesus wasn’t born in a stable to become a symbol of Christmas, but to die as a sinless King, defeating death in His glorious resurrection, and preparing the way of salvation.
It is only when we join the dots between Bethlehem’s stable and Calvary’s cross that the true meaning of Christmas comes into focus and we can experience the fullness of joy in celebrating His coming.
The darkness was penetrated by the Light of the World. Light dispels darkness – and Jesus is “the true light that gives light to every man” (John 1:9) and “as many as received Him, to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).
The last verse of ‘Hark the herald angels sing’ expresses perfectly what Christmas is all about:
Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace, Hail the sun of Righteousness!
Light and Life to all He brings, Risen 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 new-born King!’
When we are alive with His presence, then it is His light which shines through us into the darkness. Jesus, who is THE Light of the World spoke to His disciples saying “you are the light of the world . . . let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven” (from Matthew 5: 14-15).
I pray that the Lord will richly bless you this Christmas season. But my deeper prayer is that the Lord will encourage you to look beyond the Babe of Bethlehem and ask Jesus what He would have you do in 2026, to play your part in fulfilling the divine mandate that rests on every believer to be salt and light in a fallen and broken world.
And in the words of Paul, “you live in a world of corrupt and sinful people. You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky” (Philippians 2:15 GNB)
Peter
Copyright © Peter Horrobin 2025.
Thank you- I too, used to get angry at the people and the commercialisation of Christmas- I have repented and asked forgiveness for a judgemental attitude- I too, now see that people without hope, will cling to anything ,that lightens their darkness for a little while – we, I believe are called to love, as our Father does, not without discernment, but always being willing to speak ,about the real reason for the celebration, in a gentle way. That they too may come to know the Prince of Peace.
Thank you Peter.
It’s good to get back to the essentials!
Wishing you many blessings as you worship the newborn king. 🙏❤️
Hark the Herald Angels Sing is my favourite carol, too. The best bit that moves me is “veiled in flesh the Godhead see .” How I miss singing Hymns these days, especially my favourite, ” And can it be,” such a shocking waste for those Wesley hymns not to be sung! I am grappling with a theological issue at present. I believe that Jesus could have sinned but didn’t. I understand that the union of the divine and human nature made it much less likely that He would and that He had no sin principal within but I cannot agree with most books on theology that say He was incapable of sin.
Our local community centre was full to overflowing for the carol service, involving the Salvation Army, I believe the beginnings of an awakening. hopefully.
Have a great Christmas,
Love and blessings.
Margaret.
Excellent words! I especially like “Jesus not only came to save people from their sin…but also to establish a bridgehead for His kingdom on Planet Earth and open a door through which people may enter into the Kingdom of God, as born-again believers, for time and eternity.”
Thank you Peter – God bless you and Fiona