CHRISTMAS – THE STORY OF THE SERVANT KING

‘Being in the very nature God, he did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a Cross.’

Great and profound words of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church at Philippi concerning the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 2v6-8).

Though he was in the very nature God, the divine Son of God from all eternity, he chose to lay aside his divine entitlements and privileges. He forsook the glory and the eternal security of God’s heaven – he did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. He was willing to forsake his central place in the throne room of heaven; he was willing to be born as a human being in our sin-spoiled world - he made himself nothing taking the very nature of a servant. But more than that, more than becoming a servant, he was willing to become a criminal or rather to be treated as one – he become obedient to death, even death on a cross. In obedience to his Father’s will, he was willing to die for the sins of the world, to die in the place of sinners, to take the punishment we deserve, and in fact to take the most humiliating form of punishment then available – death on a cross. Christ accepted the humiliation of a criminal’s death on a Roman cross, and he did it for the salvation of others in obedience to his Father’s will.

The Lord we serve as a parish was truly the Servant King and as servants of the Servant King we are called to serve you as a parish. That’s why we have agreed as a Parochial Church Council to circulate the entire parish with invitations to our Christmas services.

We long for people in our parish to hear and respond to the wonderful news of the Servant King and the eternal salvation he has achieved for us. So, this Christmas come and worship Christ the new-born King, remembering, to quote from the great carol Once in Royal David’s City, ‘not in that poor lowly stable with the oxen standing by, we shall see him, but in heaven, set at God’s right hand on high.’

Let’s be ready for his glorious return at the end of the world by worshipping him now with our lives and giving the Servant King the glory he deserves.

Wishing you a very Happy Christmas,

Julian Mann

Vicar