23.DEC.09

Christmas Message 2009: By Rev. Amos A. Dennie, Moderator, Evangelical Churches of the West Indies, SVG

Once again as we celebrate the most mysterious birth in the history of mankind, many are asking whether the birth of Jesus Christ is a fact or fiction and whether He is the real Messiah as they do in regard to His death and resurrection.{{more}}

In order to understand and appreciate fully the birth of Jesus Christ, like in the investigation of any matter testimony is key to finding the truth, and in this case the birth of Jesus is no exception. Therefore, let us hear the testimonies of eye witnesses, those who have crucial information on the issue, whether the Christmas message really contained the unique Son of God.

The question is: What eye witness account do we possess? Do we have the personal testimony of anyone who personally interacted with Jesus, who listened to His teaching, and who encountered Him after His resurrection? Do we have any records from first century journalists who interviewed eyewitnesses, asked tough questions and faithfully recorded what they scrupulously determined to be true? Yes, there is! Matthew chapter 1 and 2 and Luke chapter 2:1 – 20.

Let us ask a few who can help us resolve the most important spiritual issue. We now turn to the conviction of three brutal murderer’s eyewitness account from long ago recorded in what I call the biographies of Jesus, which are in fact called the four Gospels. First of all, let us call Matthew the tax collector and one of the twelve disciples; the author of the first gospel of the New Testament and Mark, Luke and John. Their story describes how an angel announced to a group of shepherd that a Saviour who is the Messiah had been born in David’s town. The shepherds were determined to get to the bottom of the matter; like first century investigative reporters being dispatched to the scene of the earth-shattering story. Let us go to Bethlehem as fast as we can to see for ourselves what God has revealed to us. They left, running to check out the evidence for themselves.

Clearly, their findings separate the rumours from reality and determined facts from fiction. My fellow Vincentians, let us be real as we celebrate Christmas 2009. Remember He is the reason for the season and if we believe He is, then for heaven’s sake let us celebrate His birthday in a manner that He approves. Not in extravagant shopping and spreeing, not in reveling and drunkenness or excess eating. In fact, some even go to the extent of removing the word Christ from Christmas and replacing it with an X, as is the norm when you want to cancel something. The truth is that many a Christian follow-suits without paying attention to the damage they are doing to their own faith. Some even sound the call to put Christ back into Christmas, when in fact He never left. You can’t separate Christ from Christmas. If you do, what you have left is mass, which is in fact what many people are doing.

As we celebrate this Christmas, I call on believers at home and abroad to keep our focus. Let our celebration be consistent with His wishes; let it be a time of love, peace, hope and joy, which is the true meaning of Christmas. Let us make prayer part of our celebration this year, for restoration of these fruits of the spirit that was evident or present at the first celebration. Pray that love will replace hate, the escalation of crime and violence that has plagued our society in recent years. Pray that hope will be restored to the many that are throwing their hands in the air in despair, and that we become more proactive in presenting the message of hope to a world that is hopeless and the peace of God and the peace with God will be experienced by a world that is torn apart by war.

That is the message the Child in the manger brought on the first Christmas day.

Have a Blessed Christmas!!