Four Words For Christmas

Four Words for Christmas: By Donny Hymer

As we count down the days until we celebrate the wonder and awe of our Savior’s birth, let’s think about four words that represent what God has done for us by coming to us in the flesh.

The first word is hope. Isaiah prophesied concerning Messiah by saying “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.” (Isaiah 9:2) No longer are we helplessly and hopelessly lost in the darkness of sin, wondering about, not knowing which way to go. Emmanuel has come! God is with us! Hope is here!

Why did God come down? Is it because we’ve been so good and God wants to reward us because we deserve it? That’s where words two and three come in – mercy and grace. If we’re talking what we really deserve…that’s easy…that would be death. (Romans 3:23; 6:23) Instead, God has given us what do not deserve. (Romans 5:8)

Mercy deals with the fact of us not getting what we deserve, or in other words, God withholding punishment that we deserve. Grace on the other hand is getting a gift we do not deserve – God’s unmerited favor. It’s as if we are in the courtroom and God is the judge. We are pronounced guilty of an offence. God then steps down from the judge’s bench, takes off His robe, takes money from his wallet, and pays our fine in full. It is noted by the court that this offence will be expunged from our record. Court is then adjourned and we are allowed to go free.

The fourth word is what Christmas is really all about – glory. The gift of that very first Christmas cost God His one and only Son. Through Christ, God has given us hope. Because of His mercy and grace, He now offers to us the free gift of salvation through His Son. Jesus took the punishment we deserved (1 Peter 2:24) and now God offers us the gift of grace. The question is: have you accepted this gift of God’s grace?

What can we do now but offer glory to Him? When the angels and the heavenly hosts appeared to the shepherds on that night of nights they said: “Glory to God in the highest…” (Luke 2:14). Let’s give the glory to the One who deserves it this Christmas.

This is Christmas: “…the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.” (1 John 4:14b)