OPINION:
All around the world, the global tapestry of believers are waiting in anticipation to worship Jesus and His birth. For many, Christmas celebrations follow the four main themes of Advent: hope, peace, joy, and love.
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As we reflect on the four themes, we’re reminded that Jesus radiated each of these themes as He walked on Earth and called us to live as He did as we anticipate His return.
Hope
The story of Christmas starts long before Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem. Over 100 years before, God made a covenant with King David that He would bless David’s lineage and establish his kingdom – from his offspring will come a mighty ruler who will rule forever.
God didn’t give David any stipulations over this covenant, He just made a promise that David’s lineage will lead to the Messiah. This was good news for David and his descendants because they often rejected God’s authority in favor of their worldly passions. Yet, despite their sin and rejection of the true God, the Lord still holds His original promise to David.
God uses ordinary, imperfect, and broken people to carry out His extraordinary will every day. This is the ultimate message of hope to a fallen world. Despite our human failure, God is still moving in the brokenness to restore all things and establish His throne and His kingdom forever.
Peace
Jesus set the perfect example of what it looks like to truly be a peacemaker: humbling oneself in servitude for others, loving our enemies, and caring for widows and orphans.
Paul writes in Romans that followers of Christ are meant to pursue what leads to peace and mutual upbuilding (Romans 14:18-19). As disciples of Jesus, we are meant to live like He did, as peacemakers walking in kindness and mercy for those around us. When Jesus walked on Earth, He closed the gap between Heaven and Earth, making it possible for followers of Jesus to live as citizens of the Kingdom of God today. As citizens of the Kingdom, we are ambassadors of reconciliation furthering the Word by loving others obediently. God empowers His people to bring peace on Earth.
Joy
Jesus’ humility is a theme that stretches from His birth to His death and beyond. When Mary gave birth to Jesus, she laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. At the same time, an angel appeared to a group of shepherds in a nearby field to proclaim the news of Jesus’ birth. Luke 2:10-11 says:
“And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
There is no greater joy than being a disciple of Jesus by following the example that He set by walking in love for God and our neighbors. Jesus promises His disciples that when they keep His commandments and follow His example, they will abide in His love so that His joy can be complete in them and their joy will be full (John 15:10-11).
What a promise, by walking with Jesus, our joy is complete.
Love
Lastly, we turn to love. The story of Jesus is a long, beautiful love story that fully encapsulates God’s love for us. Despite humanity’s separation from God through sin, God is still carrying out His promise to establish His Kingdom forever through the gift of His son, Jesus.
As we reflect on the theme of love during the Christmas season, let us not forget that the greatest love of all was manifested through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to rescue us from sin. Jesus said that there is no greater love than one who lays down his life for his friends (John 15:13). God’s love means that we are redeemed by Jesus’ blood despite our constant failings and sins. Jesus became the ransom for our sins out of a pure and perfect love for His creation.
If we are meant to be imitators of Christ (Ephesians 5:1-2), we are meant to act out God’s love to those around us. We are meant to love God and love people – the greatest commandment according to Jesus, we are meant to serve others out of love and humility. We are meant to be peacemakers in our communities and be ambassadors of reconciliation.
Ultimately, we are meant to be examples of the hope, peace, joy, and love that Jesus radiated. Let us worship Him this Christmas and be reminded that Jesus is the Messiah who will come again and restore His creation, the Prince of Peace, the Fullness of Joy, and the God of Love.
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John Heerema is the CEO & founder of Biglife, a non-profit that empowers indigenous Christians to reach and disciple their local communities in over 160 countries.
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