Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
I love Christmas carols! Singing about Jesus coming into the world. Singing about the birth of a Saviour.
But hold on, why do I need saving? There is all this talk of Jesus coming to rescue us but rescue from what?
The Answer: Sin.
The Bible tells us that we all fall far short of God’s perfect standard of living. We read that we all try to run life our own way and in doing so reject God. A letter to the church in Rome makes it very clear:
There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away (Romans 3:10-12)
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)
This rejection of God, known as sin, creates a barrier between God and us. So this is where Jesus comes in. He came to earth on the ‘first Christmas’ as a human. He was fully God and fully man. Then he grew up living a perfect life of obedience to God (that we all fail to do). Then he died on the cross, taking on all our sin and the sins of the world. He died and was buried. Then he rose from the dead and offers forgiveness from sin and eternal life with God, a renewal of our relationship with God.
Too often we can be comfortable in our own little world. We compare ourselves to murderers and thieves and think we are good people. But you and I still reject God in thought word and deed, putting idols before God, living for our own selfish ambition rather than the glory of God.
So this Christmas, sing about our saviour with repentance and joy. Knowing that you have sinned but thankful that God sent Jesus to forgive you, to save you!
God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,