Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Seventh Christmas Day
2 Corinthians 8:9 ... you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
WE ARE RICH FOR HE WAS POOR
For many the days between Christmas and New Year's are a time for review and assessment. Health and wealth, goals and plans come under consideration. Am I better or worse off than I was a year ago?
Ebenezer Scrooge in the beginning of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" states that when he reviewed his "bottom line" Christmas had no impact. It added nothing. But when the truth about Christmas -- God's truth -- is known and received with a believing heart, Scrooge's negative assessment is "stood on its head".
The eternal Son of God not only became the Son of Man when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, He not only entered our world in the same way we all have, He humbled Himself. He laid aside the full use of His divine power and privilege and was born into human poverty. He did this in order to shed His blood and give His life to rescue us sinners from death and hell. The Christmas story plainly proclaims that the Son of God gave up the riches of His eternal home above so that we might be ransomed from hell's ghetto and made heirs of heaven's glorious riches.
It would appear to be a really good thing that any assessment of how well off we Christ-believers are ... be undertaken from the viewpoint of Christmas.
Let us all with gladsome voice Praise the God of heaven,
Who, to bid our hearts rejoice, His own Son hath given.
To this vale of tears He comes, Here to serve in sadness,
That with Him in heaven's fair homes We may reign in gladness.
We are rich, for He was poor; Is not this a wonder?
Therefore praise God evermore Here on earth and yonder.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 97:1-3)
