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.
Yes, He died for you and for me and that’s because of love. Despite of all our iniquities and sins, He chose to be born in a manger, live a simple life only to follow the will of His Father and that is to die on the cross for us? The real meaning of Christmas is for Jesus our Messiah to die for His beloved children even when are still sinners! That is something that is worth celebrating whether in pandemic or not.
Now the question is, is it because we are now miserable due to a pandemic, we will now cancel our celebration of this love towards us? Absolutely NO! Could only this pandemic stop the real essence and real meaning of this season?
But how can we celebrate His Christmas love in a pandemic world?
1. Be a Worshipper
This pandemic, we were secluded in our own homes, but even in our houses we were able to build a house of praise. We had a tagline during this quarantine “sa bawat tahanan may sambahan”, “in every home there is God’s throne”. That only means that we will not be stopped worshipping God even in these trying times.
Look at the 3 Magi of the east in Matthew 2:11 “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
They were not there only to observe the truth about the coming of Messiah, but they were there to worship Him by giving the best gifts that they can give. Talking about gifts, since there is pandemic, have you noticed that there were less people in the mall not just because of the restriction, but primarily because our economy has been badly affected by it. Kung nung dati di tayo nagreregalo, ngayon pa kaya? But is that a valid reason not to celebrate this season?
Think about the love of God poured out to us, that despite of the pandemic, many of us, including our own family were not affected and infected by the virus and that is a valid reason to celebrate this Christmas!
King David remembered when he is also in a devastated state in Psalm 42:5 “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”
This is the reason why the Magi’s chose to worship God, because they put their hope on the Messiah who came to their world. Similarly, we only need to put our hope and trust in God through our worship so only He can give us the true meaning and spirit of Christmas in a pandemic world.
Also, this is what Paul is telling us in his exhortation in our text in v3-5 that says…
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.
So, we see that the sufferings of this pandemic will always bring us perseverance, character and hope all because of God’s awesome love to us.
Aside from worshipping God, we also need to…
2. Be a Word-reader
During this pandemic, the only people who can solve it are not the world leaders but rather the Word readers and that God’s word. During this pandemic, there is no other source of inspiration, guidance and direction other than the Word of God!
People will tend to spread fake news about this pandemic in order for us to worry and put fear in our hearts. The survey said that many were already afraid to come out from their houses not until the virus is fully eliminated. But reports also show that the virus may stay until 2 years from now. So, what will happen? People are not coming for work, not coming to school, not even coming to church? Why? Because of fear. But what God is telling us?
Isaiah 43:1-2 “But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
During this pandemic, the only word we can hold on to is His word. Instead of the fear that this world is spreading, why not spread about His love that tells us to stand firm and trust God! Who will forget His words in…?
Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Although it is natural for us to worry, especially the coming year ahead of us, but what we can do is to put our trust and hope in His perfect will for all of us. Let’s have faith that whatever may happen, God is in control!
Romans 8:28 says “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
The Apostle Paul clearly stated that everything will go well accordingly for those who will remain loving God who have been called according to His purpose.
In the past, we always quote this verse that everything works perfectly well for everyone. But we forgot that there is a condition: to those who love Him and called according to His purpose. What does that mean? It means that we need to continue to be in love with God and continue loving His perfect will to us.
We remember that Jesus once said in Matthew 25:40 “whatever you did to the least of my brethren, you do it for me.” It means we continue to…
3. Be a Worker
And that is despite the grief of having lost our job, lost a loved-one or a friend, it doesn’t mean that our world will stop including the celebration of this Yuletide season. Instead, why not continue to work our way and learn to start a new one. How? By being a worker for God who will give comfort to those who are also grieving.
The Apostle Paul continues to be a worker for others despite of all the pains and grief he suffered…
2 Corinthians 1:3-7
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
Purihin ang Dios at Ama ng ating Panginoong Jesu-Cristo. Sya'y maawaing Ama at Dios na laging nagpapalakas ng ating loob. 4Pinalalakas niya ang ating loob sa lahat ng ating paghihirap, para sa pamamagitan ng kalakasan ng loob na ibinigay sa atin ng Dios ay mapalakas din natin ang loob ng ibang naghihirap. 5Sapagkat kung gaano karami ang mga paghihirap natin dahil kay Cristo, ganoon din karaming beses niyang pinalalakas ang ating loob. 6Kung naghihirap man kami, ito'y para mapalakas ang inyong loob, at para kayo'y maligtas. At kung pinalakas man ng Dios ang aming loob, ito'y para mapalakas din ang loob ninyo, nang sa ganoon ay makayanan ninyo ang mga paghihirap na tulad ng dinaranas namin. 7Kaya malaki ang aming pag-asa para sa inyo, dahil alam namin na kung naghihirap kayo tulad namin, palalakasin din ng Dios ang inyong loob tulad ng sa amin.
Being in a pandemic world during a holiday like Christmas, we can get our strength from God who continuously comfort us so that we too can be a source of comfort to others. Since everyone in this world is affected by the pandemic, why not choose this situation to spread the good news of salvation towards others since we know that our sufferings here are incomparable to the eternity set before us.
Romans 8:18 “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
The more that we need to work hard for others to be overcomers like us in order to have that eternal glory set before us. And when we’re there…
Revelation 21:4 “‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Are we willing to be a worker for His glory during this pandemic world? Then lastly, we need to…
4. Be a Warrior
That instead of being a worrier this season, let us stay on guard in our hearts and remain vigilant. Let us not be deceived by the devil like King Herod, who tried to deceive the 3 Magi by telling them the location of the Messiah. Herod told them that he also intended to worship the King, but the truth is that he wanted to kill the baby Jesus lying in the manger.
Matthew 2:7-8, 12
7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” 12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Let us not be deceived by the world’s standard of Christmas that just like Herod, the world will try to secretly impose the commercial aspect of the season to us. We may be socially distant away from each other with no parties, no mass gatherings, but let us be wise like the 3 Magi’s who were warned in a dream not to return to Herod again.
As we know in the last days, the celebration of Christmas will become more commercialized rather than spiritualized in nature. The focus is more about the extravagant designs, buying unnecessary things for gifts, as if the true essence of spiritual Christmas was gone. What was the Bible saying about this?
2 Timothy 3:1-4
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.
Isn’t it on every Christmas, people tend to be a pleasure lover (vacation, outings, reunions, parties)? There is no problem with these but to put these as our priority rather than loving God in this pandemic world is something that we need to be aware of.
Likewise, let us not return to the old ways of celebrating Christmas for the sake of celebrating it. But rather let us be correct in our view about His love, especially during this pandemic time in our lives.
As a warrior of His love, let us be obedient to our Master to follow His will during this season. Just like Mary, Joseph and the 3 Magi’s who were announced of the coming Messiah, even during the Roman occupation to them, they were able to take the challenge, to take a stand for God.
Conclusion:
During this Christmas while in pandemic, we need to be a
Worshipper
Word-reader
Worker
Warrior
…of God’s love to be shared on this season. Are we ready to spread faith instead of fear, peace instead of fake news, hope in order to cope, and lastly love instead of being lost? Let all share His Christmas love in a pandemic world.
Let us sing…”Think About His Love”
