Christmas is staging a come-back and we can thank God for that. It looks as
if the forces of political correctness have overplayed their hand and ‘happy
winterval’, ‘happy holidays’ or ‘seasons greetings’ are just not landing with
us as the general public, whatever our status, colour or indeed creed. We prefer
to wish each other a ‘Merry Christmas’.
However, there is a danger that our affection for Christmas springs from nostalgia
and/or getting fed up with politically-correct busy-bodies rather than from a
clear understanding of its wonderful message.
Christmas is always contemporary because the message of the Incarnation – God
becoming human in his Son Jesus Christ - is always relevant. As the Apostle Paul
put it: ‘The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus
came into the world to save sinners’ (1 Timothy 1v15).
We human beings remain sinful. Technological progress has not meant moral progress
– in fact, it is obvious that the decline of Christianity in the United Kingdom
in particular has made our moral situation worse with the undermining of the
family, rising crime, and in fact social disintegration in many communities.
Modernisation has certainly not meant progress spiritually and morally.
We human beings are rebels against the God who made us and therefore face his
just and righteous judgement upon us. But Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners. The one true and almighty God, in the person of his one and only
Son, entered our sin-spoiled world to be born as a human child and, having grown
into a man, gave himself up to death on a Cross to pay the price of your sin
and mine. ‘God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that whoever
believes in him should not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3v16).
Though it is founded on firm historical fact, this message is not about nostalgia
- it is the most vital contemporary message there is. Modern men and women need
to hear it and need it to believe it for their eternal salvation. Thank God,
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones, Julian Mann Vicar
Almighty God, who has given us your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and as at this time to be born of a pure Virgin: grant that we being regenerate, and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you and the same Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Sunday December 16th 6.30pm Service of Nine Lessons & Carols
(with our children singing Silent Night)
Sunday December 23rd 10.30am Children’s Nativity Service
Christmas Eve 11.30pm Holy Communion
Christmas Day 10.30am Family Service followed by Holy Communion
You are very welcome to come and join us