Last week we began celebrating the music of the Christmas season. Our world has been immeasurably enriched by sacred works inspired by the birth of Jesus the Messiah. Yet we also noted that Christmas carols can be misleading. We’ve already touched on Away in a Manger. The concluding lyrics are highly problematic. “And take us to heaven to live with thee there.” Readers of this blog will know that this line is completely wrong. The entire point of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of the world’s true Lord and King – the one who implements the reign of God over all the earth.
Recall the angel’s announcement to the shepherds in Luke 2: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Whether it’s Christmas or any other time of the year, it’s imperative to grasp the meaning of the term Christ. Sadly, many churchgoers think of Christ simply as another name for Jesus. Others believe that the term refers to Jesus’ divine nature. Both of these are incorrect.
The term Christ is a title. The English word Christ comes from the Greek word Christos which means “anointed one.” The word Messiah – derived from Hebrew – means the exact same thing. In the Old Testament, the man chosen by God to rule as king over Israel would be anointed with oil as a sign of God’s blessing. Therefore, the title Christ (or Messiah) effectively means king. At the time of Jesus, the people of Israel anticipated that God would someday send them a king who would again lead Israel in righteousness. This royal figure would be like his ancestor David 1000 years before. He would help turn God’s people away from their sin. Then, according to the stipulations of the covenant, Israel would be freed from oppression and would instead experience God’s favor.
Additionally, the long-expected king would empower Israel to fulfill the task for which she had been called in the first place. God had chosen the children of Israel, not just for their own sake, but so that they could be the light of the world. God intended for Israel to demonstrate what it meant to be truly human. They were called to worship the one true God and live in obedience to his commands. Through their faithfulness to the covenant, they would enjoy God’s abundant blessing. But God, precisely because he is the creator of all mankind, never meant to limit his blessing to Israel alone. God’s desire was that all the nations of the earth might look to Israel and understand His good and wise purposes for creation. In this way, the king of Israel would bring salvation to the whole world.
The prophet Isaiah speaks powerfully of the Messiah as the one who would not just set Israel right again, but bring justice, peace and goodness to all the earth. “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
The time-honored song O Holy Night wonderfully brings out these vital themes. “Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ’til he appeared, and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!” These memorable words beautifully orient us to the true meaning of Christmas, not that Jesus came to take us to heaven, but that he came to bring about God’s kingdom on earth. Before his arrival, both Israel and the world were “pining” (suffering) in sin and error. Yet because the Messiah has appeared, the weary world has hope that a new morning of justice and joy has arrived. This rescue reminds us of God’s great love for humanity. The soul of each and every person can at last feel its true worth.
A later verse declares, “Truly he taught us to love one another. His law is love and his gospel is peace.” These words speak more specifically about exactly how Jesus brings about God’s kingdom on earth. Israel had been given the covenant law, commanding them to love God and neighbor. Yet Israel had ultimately rejected the covenant and so had gone into exile. Now, through the outpouring of the Spirit of Jesus, Christians have the power to live in obedience to God’s commands. This gives us peace with God and one another. Mankind is no longer condemned to live in perpetual enmity with our creator or with our fellow human creatures.
Another phrase declares how the Messiah shall bring an end to the dark forces which corrupt God’s lovely world: “Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother, and in his name all oppression shall cease.” Indeed, history demonstrates that Christian faith has been the most powerful force in ending the practice of slavery. The story of William Wilberforce comes to mind. Christianity has brought an immense measure of justice and peace to the world.
Moreover, this language ought to turn our minds to the future tasks before us. God’s kingdom is still on the move. While we celebrate what God has already done, we’re acutely aware that there remains plenty of misery in the world. We long for the day when all slavery and oppression, all evil and injustice shall cease.
This last theme is wonderfully addressed in the Christmas carol I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. The song is based upon a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The poem was written in 1863, during the throes of the American Civil War. During that horrendous conflict, Longfellow personally experienced a great deal of anguish when his eldest son was severely wounded fighting for the Union Army.
The song begins by celebrating the bells of Christmas, which ring out the sweet message of “peace on earth, goodwill to men.” Longfellow then reflects on the fact that the belfries of the Christian world had rung out this song for year upon year, yet still the world is not yet the place it ought to be. The third verse then directly engages this tension: “In despair I bowed my head, there is no peace on earth, I said, for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men.” While we acknowledge the immense measure of goodness that the Christian faith has brought to our world, there are times when we are tempted to fall into despair, faced with persistence of evil.
The final verse then comes back with power and passion: “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep, God is not dead, nor doth he sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, goodwill to men.” Here is the hope which lies at the heart of Christianity. The one true God, the creator of all things, has irrevocably decreed that evil will not have the last word. Justice and righteousness will emerge victorious.
So this Christmas, let’s stay focused on the key truths which come to us through scripture and song. We celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, the king of Israel and the world’s true Lord. Jesus did not come in order to make a way for us to depart this world and be transported to heaven. Rather, he is the one who has established God’s reign over creation. One day he will return to complete this work.
Far too many churches speak loosely of how Jesus came to bring us into “personal relationship” with God. The language of relationship is slippery and prone to misunderstanding. It’s quite true that through Jesus we can enjoy fellowship with God. But it’s also crucial to grasp that this relationship is wholly asymmetric. The relationship Jesus seeks is one of king to loyal subjects. The kingdom of God is not a democracy. God is not seeking our input into how the world ought to be run. Rather, he demands our complete worship and obedience.
Finally, comprehending the reality of Jesus as King ought to prevent us from spiritualizing his reign. Many Christians limit the rule of Jesus only to the hearts and minds of individuals. Yet this drastically understates the situation. Jesus is sovereign over every last bit of creation. All authority has been given to him, and he will inherit the nations. King Herod was quite right to fear the little baby Jesus, because this newborn “king of Jews” truly threatened Herod’s violent, unjust rule. And not just Herod, but every other tyrant in history. Because of King Jesus, we can be sure that the wrong shall fail, the right prevail.
