The Christmas season chronicles the most significant event that earth has ever known, or shall ever know, the coming of the only begotten Son of God in human flesh, to be the savior of the world. But let’s see how His arrival changed the world.
Before His coming three-fifths of the world was in slavery, bought and sold like animals; beaten and killed without hesitation. In Ancient Greece and Rome, slave masters had ten to twenty thousand slaves. The coming of Christ dealt a death blow to slavery.
Think of the condition of children before His coming. Regarded as burdens, troublesome and unwelcome, Jesus changed the world’s perception of children by comparing them to His kingdom and having them sit on His lap.
How about women? Many were slaves, burden bearers; a man would have a house full of wives (if you could call them that) as they existed to care for his needs. Christ changed all of that. He was and is the supreme champion of womanhood. There is no account in the New Testament of one harsh word that He ever spoke to a woman!
He brought us the parables, think how the story of the prodigal son has affected humanity. The Good Samaritan, that parable brought to our world hospitals, hospitality, acts of kindness and an understanding that every person is our neighbor.
His coming changed history. Jesus came to reveal God. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.” Jesus came that all of us might understand God, not as a God of cruelty, or a God of hate, but as a God of love, of grace, of compassion, as one that is ever abounding in His interest of our lives. Jesus came to show us God as our father. “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”
Jesus came to bring us to hope beyond the grave, He said. “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall live. And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die.”
Merry Christmas to all of you!
