The Reason for This Season
Gideon, who recently completed the internship (and also works as our Administrator), shares how easily we can forget about the real reason for Christmas. He reflects on how a book read during the internship practically helped him remember the reason for Christmas.
It is Christmas! Have you noticed that Christmas is the only season in the year when we can hear hymns played at shops and shopping malls and not just in church? Distracted by all the dazzling Christmas decorations throughout the town of Singapore, it is easy for me to forget the reason for this season. Therefore, whenever I hear the hymns play as I walk in the shopping malls, I make it a point to remind myself of the true reason for Christmas.
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who was born in the manger, lives among His people. As the angels had declared in the presence of the shepherds that night, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Lk 2:14), Jesus has come into the world to bring peace to His people. What is this peace? This peace is the reconciliation to God through Jesus Christ, who came to bear all of our sin through His death on the cross. Only in Him we are forgiven and reconciled with God.
One of the books that spoke to me the most during the course of my internship at GBC was "The Whole Christ" by Sinclair Ferguson. In summary, this book is a review of an older book titled "The Marrow of Modern Divinity". The focus of this book was to discuss the question that occupied the presbytery of Auchterarder in 1717, “Do we need to forsake sin in order to come to Christ?” In other words, “Do we need obedience for us to be saved?” Without getting into too much detail, the answer to the questions above is "no". We are saved by God’s grace alone. Nothing of our own doing adds to the works of our salvation, not even our own obedience.
The book makes reference to Mattew 11:28-30 “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. Ferguson wrote “to ‘labour’ and to be ‘heavy laden’ are not qualifications for coming to Christ". Just like the older son in the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15, who viewed his father as a slave master, he felt that he needed to labour himself to enjoy grace from his father. “Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’” (Lk 15:29-30). His father responds in the next verse saying, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.” (Lk 15:31) As his father said “all that is mine is yours”, there wasn’t a need for the older son to labour for his father’s grace.
Let us be reminded of this wonderful gift of the gospel in this season that has been given to us, a gift which we do not have to labour for, but is graciously given by God. Beside sharing physical gifts to one another, let us also be intentional in sharing the real reason for the season. In closing, I would like to share an old hymn which has personally helped to remind me of the reason for this season, "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus". Glory to God in the highest!
Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.
Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne