Page 9 - Good News December 2007 paper

It cost Mary and Joseph the
comforts of home during a long
period of exile in Egypt to protect
the little Babe.
It cost mothers in and around
people whom He of the sin of the me from sin. Am I
created and for world would, after a saved from sin? Have Bethlehem the massacre of their
whom He was soon few brief years, rest I seen Him as the One babies by the cruel order of Herod.
It cost the shepherds the com-
to die. upon Him on the Who took all the evil placency of a shepherd's life, with
Yet, in the intense Cross. The awful of my soul and bore the call to the manger and to tell
pain of the sacrifice separation from His the punishment of
Rev. CN Peckham the Good News.
and humiliation, Father awaited Him, death for me? Have I It cost the wise men a long
TO GOD, Christmas there was vibrant “My God, my God, gratefully, humbly, journey and expensive gifts and
meant an enor- joy. Joy because why hast Thou accepted Him as my changed lives.
mous sacrifice - He God’s great plan of forsaken Me?” Saviour? It cost the early apostles and
gave His Son! Redemption was would soon be What a change will be the early church persecution and
All heaven must have being put into ope- wrenched from His wrought in my soul sometimes death.
It cost missionaries of Christ
wondered at the in- ration. The shadow dying lips. But this when I dare to trust untold suffering and privation to
comprehensible and and types of the Old would result in Him to forgive and to spread the Good News.
unfathomable depths Testament were redemption. save me! It cost Christian martyrs in all
of a love which would yielding to the Sub- A Saviour is born. A Why, the joy which ages their lives for Christ's sake.
go to such lengths. stance and Reality Saviour from sin. It the angels heralded to More than all this, it cost God
The Lord of glory took of Christ Himself. was sin which He the shepherds will be the Father, His own Son - He sent
the form of a helpless Man was about to be took upon the Cross. mine. Forgiven! What Him to earth to save men.
Baby. God did not redeemed. Said the It was sin with a word! Joy will well It cost Jesus a life of sacrifice
need to do this. He is angel to the shep- which God was up in my soul and will and service, a death cruel and
complete in Himself. herds, “I bring you dealing at Calvary. ring through the unmatched in history!
He does not need the good tidings of great This then is the courts of heaven as - Selected
fellowship of created joy, which shall be to purpose of Christ’s well.
beings, but His love all people.” Joy in coming - to save God offers His great
was so consuming that heaven, joy to earth, men from sin! salvation to you at this
He could do nothing joy that the long- TO THE INDIVI- Christmas season, to
else but save corrupt awaited salvation of DUAL, Christmas you as you read these
humanity. “For God man was being brings a solemn very words.
so loved the world that accomplished. Thus challenge. WILL YOU NOT
He gave His only to the hosts of Has His coming TODAY RECEIVE
begotten Son.” heaven, Christmas been effective for THIS SAVIOUR OF
TO CHRIST, Christ- means irrepressible me? THE WORLD AS
mas meant intense joy. The purpose for YOUR SAVIOUR
TO THE WORLD,
humiliation, for He which He died TOO?
Christmas means
“made Himself of no was to save
reputation, and took Redemption, “for
upon Him the form of unto you is born this
a servant, and was day in the city of
made in the likeness of David a Saviour
men.” After being which is Christ the
worshipped down the Lord.”
ages He is contracted Bethlehem has no
to the confines of a meaning without
human body and is Calvary. He was
rejected, even at His born to die!
birth, by the very T h e e n o r m o u s
weight and ghastly
concentration

he message of Christmas is a constant one. treacherous thing.
In the midst of the ever-changing world, the The true Christmas, with the emphasis on Christ, is
Tvacillations of man and the rise and fall of a "Joy to the world". In a strife-torn world it is
governments, our hearts cry out for stability. "Peace on earth". Amidst the hatred and distrust
The message of Christmas inseparably involves between individuals and the peoples of the world, it
Christ. Cancel Christ out of Christmas (Xmas) and is "goodwill toward men".
you are back to the human, the transient, the What is most attractive to man about the true
instability of a decaying world and world systems, Christmas message is its immutability. No season,
accentuated by the excesses of what is called the age, country, tongue or circumstance can change it.
"Festive Season". Its effectiveness has been proven over a period of
Christless Christmases have been the excuse and more than 2 000 years. It is not seasonal but
reason for more sin, revelry and unrighteousness perennial, not national but international, not
than is possible to assess. How many lives, selective but universal, not temporary but eternal...
characters, homes and friendships have been To all who believe on Him, the CHRIST of Christmas,
ruined in the revelries generally indulged in at He is the LIFE, JOY and PEACE for time and
Christmas-time. The excuse often offered is: "It is eternity!
only Christmas once a year." May your Christmas be Christ-centred, because
A Christless Christmas is a dangerous and then it will be a happy Christmas!