Surprised by Grace at Christmas

Posted byHoly God, Holy LivingPosted inChristmas, GraceTags:,

And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” — Matthew 1:21

Have circumstances entered into your life that totally disrupted it?

Then consider the story of Jesus’ parents. Joseph discovers a disturbing fact that his fiancée is pregnant, and he is not the father. What was he to do? Normally betrothals brought in gifts and dowries. This one bestowed confusion and bewilderment. What was he to do? We receive a hint of his reaction. He wanted to put her away quietly so she and her family would not be embarrassed. Then he encounters an astonishing announcement. God surprises Joseph with grace.

This newborn will

“…save His people from their sins.”

Nothing in the biblical story prepares us for these words. They are sudden and abrupt. Isn’t it just like God to meet difficulty and tension with unexpected and abrupt words of grace?

Craziness often drowns out “comfort and joy” for us during Christmas. Sometimes we would rather say, “Bah, humbug!” Alienation, loneliness, loss of hope, and depression have their sway with many. Compulsion marks gift giving. The message the angel of the Lord announced spoke of a sinful world. Luke described the world as steeped in moral darkness (Luke 1:79). The fact is that all of us live in moral darkness in our separation from God. The Bible says death results from our sinful state. All of us stand on the same level of having sinned against God. What are we to do?

The good news is that in our moral confusion, anxieties, alienation, and fears God surprises us with grace. Faith in Jesus delivers us from hopelessness and fear. What are we to do? Trust our lives to Him! This is the Christmas message that caused the shepherds and wise men to rejoice. God surprises us with grace through Jesus and forgives us of all wrongdoing. Christmas and grace intersect in the manger. Surprise someone with grace this Christmas.

Published by Holy God, Holy Living

In today's environment, many have redefined or even buried the meaning of holiness. It biblical meaning lies beneath a rubble of myth, mysticism, religion, various spiritualities, and feeling. One variation of holiness finds its way through mystery, the warrior monks of the Knights Templar, secret documents, secret societies, grand masters, and conspiracies in the guise of history caled Holy Blood, Holy Grail. On the opposite end, R. C. Sproul wrote the book Holy, Holy, Holy: Proclaiming the Perfections of God. It is an anthology with many authors writing on the dimensions of God's holiness. It is worth the money and time. I do not seek to duplicate what others wrote but rather to provide reflections from the Bible on the subject. Not only do I wish to focus on this subject but also desire to branch out into other areas dealing with contemporary issues that relate to living life that honors Jesus Christ.

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