The Mystery And Miracle Of Christmas

The Mystery and Miracle of Christmas

Bishop Lalachan. M. A

Christmas is loaded with expectations. It is a busy time of the year. The traffic is heavy on the streets. The stores are full of people looking and buying gifts. Christmas Trees and stars are being put up and decorated with flashy decorations. The streets of cities are flashing with pretty lights. Typically we knock ourselves out trying to make it the "perfect" Christmas. Little boys and girls are looking for Santa Claus, and it seems everyone is trying to spread cheer and promote good will. We sing old hymns and familiar carols, we show love for others in the giving of gifts, and we observe the hallowed traditions that make the season special. Christmas brings wonder and joy, generosity and peace. It is a season of visiting friends and family, giving presents, and happy smiles on the faces of children. Christmas is the marvelous story of the birth of Jesus. Bible narrates the story in the Gospel of Luke.

The story begin in the little town of Bethlehem in Israel over 2,000 years ago, a baby was born whose life was destined to affect countless millions. In those days the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. So Joseph and the very pregnant Mary would have had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, as this was town that Joseph’s family, originally came from - a journey of about 112 kilometers. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn that babe was Jesus. We learn from his birth that Lord Jesus did not come to a palace with marble halls and carpeted stairs. No luxurious bed chamber was prepared for His birth. Neither nurses nor doctors were attendance. Cathedral bells failed to toll; bands were silent; no royal choruses burst forth in song. He came to a stable, and was laid in a manger. His mother had only the straw for a bed. But little did the world know that this babe, through His birth, life, teaching, death and resurrection would have a greater influence on humanity than the birth and death of any other man in history. Christ is the central figure of all history and worshipped by countless millions, both dead and living, and untold multitudes are looking forward to the time when he will come again according Hs promise. Christmas began in the heart of God. It is only complete when it reaches the heart of man.

Christmas is the beginning of a classic true story with all the right Ingredients: love, joy, peace, goodwill, reconciliation and relationship. These are all the beautiful things that Christmas signifies. The words “Peace and Goodwill” are familiar to anyone who knows the Christmas story, “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth among men with whom God is well-pleased.” (Luke 2:14) With these words a multitude of angels praised the Almighty at the time of the miraculous birth of Jesus and it still rings true today. God has not changed and His plan for peace and good will has not changed. That is the key to peace on earth, peace between nations, and peace in a family: Peace on earth among men with whom God is well-pleased.

The supernatural events ever seen on earth began with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Before Christ was born, His coming was announced by an angel. The heavenly messenger used the name ‘Emmanuel’ for Christ, which means ‘God with us.’ This is the greatest manifestation of love the world has ever seen. During His 33 odd years on earth Christ healed the sick, fed the hungry, and comforted the broken hearted and raised the dead. Yet His greatest act was His sacrifice on the cross for the sins of a world gone astray from its Creator. Miracles surrounded Christ’s birth and continued throughout His earthly ministry to bear abundant testimony that “truly He was the Son of God” .In addition to Jesus supernatural birth, He lived a supernatural life, died a supernatural death, arose from the dead, and returned to Heaven by supernatural power. Jesus Christ was, and is, the eternal God. Why, then, did Christ leave the glory of Heaven to be born in Bethlehem and eventually to die on the cross? It was all because of God’s supernatural love for mankind, a love that extends far beyond any human love. The Bible explains that, “For God so loved the world, that, He gave His only begotten Son, that, whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (Jn.3: 16)