Christmas and the Nations of the World
- Mark Lauterbach
- Dec 15, 2007
When we think of Christmas, we most readily turn our thoughts to trees and presents, children and snow, carols and feasts. My guess is that we do not think about international relations or the clash of civilizations. But that is what Christmas is about - at least in part.
How do we know this?
Because the writers of the Christmas story all mention
of a key figure in both their accounts -- Abraham.
Matthew starts out with mentioning his name - Jesus is the son of Abraham. Luke recounts the Magnificat of Mary in which she honors God who has kept the promise he made to Abraham. He tells of Simeon reflecting on the same.
Ancient history you say - who cares? Not so. The writers are dropping hints about the significance of Jesus coming - and that is what Christmas celebrates. The name of Abraham shapes the meaning of Christmas. Abraham is revered by Muslims, Jews, and Christians. But the Christian perspective is unique.
After sin entered the world, God chose Abram out of all peoples to be the source of blessing to all peoples. God narrowed his work to one man and his descendents in order to make the blessing as wise as possible. "In you all the nations of the earth will be blessed." The blessing some through the son of Abraham - Jesus the Messiah.
Why a blessing? Because in the early history of humankind sin was brought into the world, and with sin there came the curse of God. God's curse falls on that which opposes God - that which offends God. God's curse of death came upon all peoples. The curse was not why God had created man and woman in his image. He did not make us to curse us. He made us to enjoy him forever - and the curse would have to be removed for that to happen.
Abraham is the one chosen through whom God will bless. And how will God bless? One thing is very clear -- not by following Abram's moral example. He was a pagan when he was called and he was inconsistent in faith and persistently self-serving all his life. No, Abraham is not a teacher or example of how we are to live -- he is an example of how God blesses. God blesses out of grace. God blesses because God does all that is needed to remove the curse of sin and to open the floods of mercy. That is what Abraham experienced and how Abraham lived.
Thr promise to Abraham was about his true Son -- Jesus. Jesus would be the means of God's blessing. he would bear the curse at the cross - when the Son of God became a curse in our place. He removed the curse so that we might receive the blessing. And the purpose of his death is global in its scope.
In other words, Jesus was not some sort of tribal deity who serves a handful of people in a few places on the earth. No the purpose of Jesus coming was the blessing of all peoples. And all can be blessed because the gift comes completely through his work.
Christmas is international in its meaning for Jesus is the son of Abraham.
That's the Christmas we celebrate at Grace Church in San Diego.