Just a week before Christmas 2011, My country, Philippines has been devastated by strong typhoon that killed more than 500 people with hundreds still missing. I wonder how the victim’s family can celebrate Christmas this year.
A month before Christmas 2009, 57 people including 30 journalist had been brutally massacred in Maguindanao, Philippines. The said incident brought some questions in my mind. Does God still in control? Why God did not intervene? Does God really cares? The following is a familiar story:
A couple with two siblings ages one year and two is happily watching their children on that Christmas Eve. Those small kids undoubtedly bring joy to their lives as they ponder dreams in their hearts for the children’s future. Suddenly a rushing knocks on the door followed by a big bang startled everyone. A group of deadly soldiers forcefully entered the house without warning as they are shouting; “Where are your children?” Upon hearing the words from the soldiers, the mother quickly run and hug her two kids while the father gathered strength and stand on the way to protect his family. But the shining swords of the soldiers found his body and he quickly fall on the floor bleeding.
The two soldiers forcefully took the two kids from the mother’s arm and carried them outside. The mother was left shock and confuse while her husband is laid dying on the floor when she heard the cry of her kids outside which stop shortly afterward. She ran outside and found her dear children also lying on the ground bleeding and without life. From the near houses, the weeping and agony of other mothers who also suffer the same tragedy can be heard.
The massacre of infants in the City of Ramah was not only circulated through the big publications of the world but it was recorded on the Holy Bible.
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more. Mat 2:16-18
More or less 30 years later, people discover that one boy from Bethlehem survived from that tragedy and from the swords of the soldiers. He had been saved because of a mysterious dream:
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. Get up, he said, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him. So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, Mat 2:13-4
Several days ago, the mother of the murdered kids met the boy who survives the massacre. She cannot help but to let tears run down on her cheeks as he stare Jesus, the survivor of the said tragedy who is now a gentle man. Yes! You read it right; He is Jesus the son of Joseph and Mary. Jesus gently stands as he was called to read parts of the Holy Book in the Synagogue.
Pain suddenly squeezes the heart of the mother. Questions upon questions came to her mind. If God is real then why her kids are gone? If God is powerful and in control, why He did not protect hers sons? Or may be she’s too poor and destitute that God doesn’t care about her family… Jesus starts reading the Holy Book.
"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." Luke 4:18-19
Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." Luk 4:20-21
Her heartbeat intensified! Her mind suddenly enlightened! The agony of her soul suddenly relieved! Every Jews knows that Messiah, the coming Savior will come to redeem Israel. But she did not expect that she will see and heard Him that day. The words coming from His mouth is like a spring of living water on her soul. For the poor, the broken hearted, captives, blind, oppressed and to those who lost the last breath of hope; they are the reasons why Christ the Son of God came to the world
In the beginning, God created a perfect world without death, sickness, poverty and injustice. But it was destroyed and polluted by the sin of man and until then, darkness came and the world had been ruled by Satan the deceiver. Man surrendered his right to rule the world to the Devil when he committed sin against God. It is the very reason why there is death, poverty and injustice in the world today.
For this very reason that Jesus the Son of God came to the world in the form of human flesh. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.1John 3:8b”
Yes there are children who were brutally murdered while Jesus had been escaped to Egypt. But God is still in control. Several months later, Herod died of rare kind of disease without experiencing real satisfaction of life In spite of his riches and position. Jesus came to give those children eternal life in heaven through giving His own life as the greatest payment to redeem the world from the slavery of Satan.
He died on the cross later in a more brutal way of death so that He can tell the world that God is personally involve and He really cares for the poor, the broken hearted, the captives, the blind and the oppressed. He did not send angels to cure human’s agony. He did not send His army of heavenly host to tell the world that he is in control. But God sent His Son, His only begotten Son to personally feel what we feel, to breathe the same breath of agony that we endured and to tell us that God loves us so much and he is deeply concern.
CHRISTMAS IS AN EVIDENCE THAT GOD REALLY CARES
1. GOD CARES ALSO FOR THE POOR
God sent His Son to the world, born in a lowly manger. Why not in a private hospital or the palace of the King? Everything is possible with God. But it is to show us that he cares for the poor. In the eyes of man; a child is born. But in the heart of the Father God; a Son, the Prince of heaven is sacrificially given to show His love for us. The Son of God became man so that son of man becomes the son of God.
Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
2. GOD CARES ALSO FOR THE BROKEN HEARTED
Who can never feel the pain of lost children? But God understand. Jesus was called the man of sorrow. He was betrayed spit upon and ridiculed. He died of literal broken heart so that we can experience the joy of Christmas.
3 GOD CARES ALSO FOR THE CAPTIVES AND SLAVES
During the time that Jesus was born. Israel is under the captivity of Rome. That is the reason why Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem to pay their taxes even if Mary is already in the last month of pregnancy. Jesus experienced personally the meaning of captivity. He indentifies himself with the captives and slaves. When He died on the cross, He did not only liberate Israel from their Roman Captivity but he delivered humanity from the slavery of sin.
On that day was the schedule for the execution of death penalty by hanging on the cross for Barabbas a notorious robber and murderer. Something happened that change the destiny of all prisoners of the world forever.
So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?....Barabbas they answered Mat 27:17,21
We may never be a robber or a killer but all of us are sinners and the penalty for our sin is spiritual death. Christ died on our behalf. We have been release and delivered from the jail of sin and death. It is when Jesus was arrested and hanged on the cross two thousand years ago. He paid the debt that He did not owe.
4. GOD CARES ALSO FOR THE BLINDS AND UNLEARNED
Jesus heals the blind but more than that, He cured our spiritual ignorance to God’s love. It is through his selfless offering of His life that we understand the meaning of God’s love.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
5. GOD CARES ALSO FOR THE OPPRESSED AND VICTIMS OF INJUSTICE
There are still many victims of injustice and oppression in the world today. Even Jesus Christ is a victim of injustice. Jesus did not primarily come to immediately eradicate the political corruption of our government and injustice in our system. He came to transfer us from the kingdom of this world which is full of darkness into the kingdom of God which is the kingdom of light.
The people who sat in darkness saw a great Light; and Light has sprung up to those who sat in the region and shadow of death." From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent! For the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Mat 4:16-17
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." Mar 1:15 …"
Considering the economic, political, social, domestic and psychological problems of the people of Israel during that time, Jesus explained and offers His solution formula which can be extracted from the above verses:
• The problems that people suffered are just symptoms of its root.
• The root of the problem is sin and because of this sin, people is under the kingdom of darkness
• The kingdom of God is the Solution to the problem of humanity.
• For their problem to be solved, everyone should be transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God.
• There are two steps in order to belong to the kingdom of God: Repent and Believe the Gospel
The gospel is the good news of his redemption. It is good news that Christ paid the debt that we cannot pay. God also adopted us as His children and become an heir. But unless we believe and receive Christ into our heart we cannot be called sons of God and we cannot be transferred to the kingdom of God.
He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: John 1:11-12
The people of Bethlehem closed their door for Christ, that’s why Jesus was born in a manger. This Christmas did you prepare a room in your heart for him?
Rev 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
CONCLUSION:
WHY EVIL THINGS SUCH AS INJUSTICE STILL HAPPEN IN THE WORLD TODAY?
1.Because what we have today is a fallen and corrupted world. Man failed to obey the very first command of God to rule the earth. Gen 1:26 Then God said, Let us make man in our image…and let them rule…over all the earth. But rather, he surrenders dominion to Satan by virtue of sin. This sin brought curse to our world today. Gen 3:17 To Adam he said,…Cursed is the ground because of you…
2.Because though the world has already been spiritually redeemed by Christ through his blood, the physical implementation of redemption, the total renovation which is the new heavens and new earth is yet to come. The renovation of earth will take place on the 1000 years Christ’s Millennial Kingdom on the first part of the second coming of Christ. After that, there will be a White Throne Judgment before we can permanently live in heaven.
Isa 65:17, Rom 8:22-5
3.Because the final phase of God’s redemption which is our eternal hope is not earth but heaven.
1Co 15:19, 1Co 15:22
4. Because Christians failed to evangelize the world
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Mat 28:18-20
