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We all cultivate “Christmas Traditions”, which we, very uncritically, accept from our “social” surroundings, but very rarely exercise the Christmas message, which should touch us most. This message says, simply and straight forward: “The Saviour is born, Christ the Lord!” Should our fellowmen not know what to do with this, we must explain to them that we firmly believe in this Jesus, of whom the bible witnesses and upon whom the churches call, the Son of God. This – God’s Son, came into the world as a man. He was born like all children are born. His mother was a simple, very godly Jewish virgin, Mary by name. Because of the taxing circumstance, His birthplace, instead of Nazareth was a stable in Bethlehem. Every year sounds out the Christmas message in the churches. The birth of the Saviour, “God’s Anointed”, the “Redeemer out of Zion” was for centuries prophesied and longed for by the Jewish folk. It could not be otherwise, but that those who learned about the fulfilment of this promise waited for Him, praising God with songs and prayers. The songs of praise of Mary, of Zacchaeus, the heavenly host as well as of old Simeon, as we can read this in the gospel of Luke, they all speak a persuasive language. What jubilation is expressed: “Christ, the Saviour is here!” This message, which we proclaim at the Christmas festival, contains an unequivocal confession: We believe on redemption and hope for it! Yes, we are fully persuaded of its certainty, that a redemption for all mankind and further for all creation is necessary from sin! This redemption happens through Jesus Christ. A self-deliverance from sin is not possible! For us it is very important, that we make this confession clear to the utmost. Even if we can free ourselves of some things and problems, from ballast, also from judgment of different thinking of others, from other people who live and believe different, we can deliver ourselves from there, but not from our sin. People living in drudgery, are able to shake off the yoke of their oppression and free themselves from a foreign rule. But no-one is able to free himself from sin, much less the whole world.
As long as there is sin – there is sorrow. With the birth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the redemption of creation has begun. Jesus took on Him the form (existence) as a man for a time, from the first hours of a helpless newborn baby to the experiences of betrayal and excruciating execution. All this happened for our deliverance. Through the child in the manger deliverance came into the world. This is the message for Christmas. The life of Jesus was the only life of a man that has lived without sin. Since then, He comes before God and intercedes for His people, because He has overcome.
The teaching of love thy neighbour and forgiveness has left deep marks behind in the world, but also has made clear, that sin is exceedingly powerful and that Christians were ofttimes defeated and are, again and again overcome by it. When Christ returns, then will redemption be fulfilled. Like, as the personal struggle for obtaining salvation, is not to be agreed with egoismus, so is therewith the united hope of redemption not to be agreed with passiveness and fatalism. Who heeds Jesus’ call to follow Him, will, without fail, become active. The Christmas message fills us with great joy, because we realize that we will, as Jesus’ followers, receive from God, the redemption from all iniquity and all sorrow. This redemption has already begun. Therefore do we glorify with the heavenly messengers:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14) Blessed is he, who keeps the Christmas message like Mary, the mother of Jesus: “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart”. (Luke 2:19).