Christmas Love In A Pandemic World - One In Christ's Love Series

It’s already December, the last month of 2020, yet we are still in these troubled times as we continue to live in a pandemic world such as this. It seems that it’s only months ago when our government declared quarantine all over the country until now. Many are asking how can we celebrate this Yuletide season with the all the restrictions of mass gatherings like Christmas parties, family reunions and the likes. It seems that this is one of the hardest, if not the loneliest Christmas events we could ever have while we are still living. Because with all the losses in lives, economy, health and jobs, it seems that this is one of the most remembered Christmases we could have this generation.

But with all the material displays of this event being restricted and limited, is there any reason to celebrate? Kung paanong natuloy and ating 42nd Anniversary, yes tuloy na tuloy pa din ang Pasko because there is…

A Christmas Love in a Pandemic World

There is still a love that will remind us that Christmas is not just an event that will soon be over. But with the emotion and motivation of this event, all will be overtaken by God’s love alone. And because of that, this month, our theme is One in Christ’s Love.

Let us all be reminded that Christmas started because God used this emotion, His power to reach mankind by sending His only Son into the world through this event. And what could be God’s motivation in doing this? It’s all because of love towards us that even before we are in a pandemic world.

Let’s read…

Romans 5:1-11 NIV

1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Here we can see that Apostle Paul saw the situation of man was a miserable one because of sin that entered the world. But because of God’s justification (meaning we are forgiven by God for all our sins), we have peace with God, we have God’s grace, and hope of God’s glory. Now have we noticed that these 3 characteristics of God are the reason why He came to this world?

a. To bring peace and reconciliation with God – v10

b. To bring us hope that we can boast – v2

c. To bring us God’s grace through faith – v2

Why is it that God needs man to be reconciled to Him, to bring them hope and the grace that we are not worthy to be given? It’s all because of love. It’s because of His unfailing love to mankind. But before God can show the world His love, He needs to assess how far mankind from His love. It is because of our sin that enslaved us that made us so far from Him, He can’t even listen or reach us out because of our sin just as what Isaiah said in 59:1-2

“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”

But then God’s love is so powerful that He was so motivated to reach out mankind from its miserable state. That in v5 He was able to pour out His love towards us, how? Look at v6-8

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.