Do you remember celebrating Christmas as a little child?

Do you remember counting the days till Christmas, wondering if it would ever come?  Isn’t it interesting that for a child the period of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas goes so slow, but for an adult that same period of time goes too fast?  For those of you who opened presents on Christmas day, do you remember the long wait till the morning light?  I sure do!  My parents told us that we had to wait till the sun started to rise before we could open our presents.  My sister, brother and I would often wake up at night and sit by the window, watching for the sun.  It seemed like an eternity before it would start peeking over the horizon.  Then we’d run into the living room and open our presents.  Christmas was always well worth the wait; a time of joyous anticipation and celebration of Christ’s birth.

      I’d like for us to think about the first Christmas as a time of eager anticipation for the Jews.  Most of them had studied the Hebrew Scriptures from childhood, and they knew much of it by heart.  They were eagerly expecting a Messiah, for the Hebrew Scriptures were filled with references of the Messiah that was to come.  In Luke chapter 2, we read the account of Jesus being presented to the temple in Jerusalem.  Simeon and Anna, two righteous Jews, were so thrilled to see the baby Jesus – the Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die until he saw the Christ (Luke 2:28-38).  Because the Jews had been living under Roman oppression for so many years, they were looking for a Messiah who would set them free from Rome, for a political leader or king.  They remembered the Scriptures that said the Messiah would destroy the world powers in an act of judgment, deliver Israel from her enemies, restore her as a nation, rule righteously over the entire world, and bring peace on earth.

      What so many of these Jews failed to realize was that the prophecies of the Messiah also included references to a Suffering Servant who would give His life as a sacrifice in order to reconcile men to God (Isaiah 53).  The Messiah was to be a prophet, priest, and a king.  Jesus came, fulfilling all the prophecies of his first coming and filling all three roles of the Messiah.  As prophet, Jesus spoke forth the Word of God with authority and predicted what was to come.  As the great high priest, Jesus offered Himself as the Lamb of God, the supreme and final sacrifice for the sins of the world.  And as king, Jesus set up His kingdom of heaven in the hearts of all who are born again (John 3:3).  When Pilate asked Jesus if He was the king of the Jews, Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.  If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews.  But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.  Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king.  In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (John 18:36,37).  That same day, Jesus gave His life and He rose again three days later, proving that He was truly the Messiah, the Lamb of God.

      While on this earth, Jesus taught much about the kingdom of God to His disciples, using parables as illustrations.  However, He did not set up an earthly kingdom at His first coming – that wasn’t His plan.  Because they wanted an earthly king, most Jews rejected Him as their Messiah.  But He will set up His kingdom at His second coming.  In Acts 1, right before His ascension into heaven, His disciples asked Him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”  He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  After this, He was taken up into heaven, and a cloud hid Him from their eyes.  Two angels suddenly appeared saying, “This same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” In the last days, His coming will be twofold: Jesus will first rapture (take up) all true believers (I Thessalonians 4), then in the Great Tribulation, He will pour out His judgment and wrath on the sinful world that has rejected Him.  At the end of the tribulation, He will come again to earth as King of kings and Lord of lords to set up His millennial kingdom on earth.  (Read Revelation 1:7, 14-18, 19: 11-16.)

      The Lord is preparing a place for us (John 14:1-3), and He has promised a special crown to all who long for His appearing.  Paul said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord; the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day.  And not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing” (II Timothy 4:7,8).  We don’t know when He will come – it could be today!  Jesus Himself said, “Keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come . . .   the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Matthew 24:42, 44). (My husband and I are looking forward to Christ’s return; we even had the words “Maranatha, He’s coming again” imprinted on our checks.  When I see the sky filled with beautiful clouds, I often think about what the angels said at His ascension.)

      The early church and Christians throughout the ages have eagerly anticipated Christ’s coming again, but there have always been those who scoff, saying “Where is the promise of His coming?” (II Peter 3:3-13).  Their scoffing doesn’t change the fact He will come unexpectedly like a thief in the night.  We are told to look forward to the day of God and speed its coming (v. 12), for we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness (v. 13).  Not only are we to eagerly anticipate His coming, but we are told to prepare ourselves so we will be ready.  In I John he says, “And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.” (I John 2:28).  “We know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.  Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:2,3).

      As we see the darkness of sin spreading more and more over the earth, we should not despair.  Instead, this should cause us to lift up our heads with eager anticipation and hope, knowing our redemption draws near.  Jesus Himself said, “Even so, when you see all these things . . . you know that it is near, right at the door” (Matthew 24:33).  As the saying goes, “It’s always darkest just before the dawn.”  The last days on earth simply precede the first days of all eternity for us, and heaven and all its glories will be well worth the wait.

      As we celebrate the birthday of the baby Jesus, let us also remember that He is the King of glory!  In fact, most of the Christmas carols give honor to Jesus Christ the King (Joy to the World, What Child is This, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful) and let us never forget that He is coming again as King, just as He said . . .

      “And behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to everyone according to his work.  I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last . . . I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches.  I am the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” And the Spirit and the Bride say “Come!”  And let him who thirsts come.  Whoever desires, let him take of the water of life freely . . . He who testifies of these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”  Amen . . .

Even so, come Lord Jesus!

(Rev. 22:12-20)