Christmas 2016

About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books. (Luke 2:1 CEV)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Greetings to you in the days leading up to Christmas. This is a joyous, precious time. Once more we see how much God loves the world, and how much he loves us. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.’ (John 3:16 NRSV)

God’s Christmas love is so extravagant, so selfless. He doesn’t stop to count the cost of salvation, the cost of himself. ‘Christ was truly God. But he did not try to remain equal with God. He gave up everything and became a slave, when he became like one of us.’ (Philippians 2:7 CEV)

God gives, we receive. God is the giver of the Christmas gift, and Jesus is the gift. ‘Everything that was created received its life from him, and his life gave light to everyone. The light keeps shining in the dark, and darkness has never put it out.’ (John 1:4-5 CEV) Christmas is a beacon of hope for the world, and we shine with the glory of it.

At the time God was sending his Son into the world the Emperor Augustus was busy trying to count it. God wanted life for the world, but Augustus needed taxes to maintain his empire. Jesus tips those human empires on their heads. He came into the world not to judge or condemn, but to save. He reverses the order of things by taking our punishment on himself. Jesus changes everything.

Christians believe he is ‘God with Us’ in the fullest sense. Our God is not remote in heaven, but here in the manger, in the flesh. He came to be the person we cannot be, the Saviour of the world and our advocate in heaven. ‘Christ was humble. He obeyed God and even died on a cross. Then God gave Christ the highest place and honoured his name above all others. So at the name of Jesus everyone will bow down, those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. And to the glory of God the Father everyone will openly agree, "Jesus Christ is Lord!”' (Philippians 2:8–11 CEV)

God blesses us again this Christmas because he has already blessed us with his Son. We are his forever and ever. That's why our brother Paul could write, ‘I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!' (Romans 8:39-39 CEV)

May we each, in our congregations and worship places, celebrate a confident, joyous, Christ-filled Christmas in 2016.

Pastor John Henderson
Bishop, Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand
22 December 2016