Jesus, The Destroyer of Death!

On Sunday night we had our Carols by Candlelight service at BH. This is always one of my favourite services of the year because I love Christmas Carols.

This year though I am so happy to say that I loved the sermon more than anything else, I believe it is the best Christmas sermon that I have ever heard!

The subject that was given was Jesus, The Destroyer of Death. The Preacher was a man named Ian Barclay who is a member of Bishop Hannington and a very gifted preacher. Out of the readings done in the evening Ian focused on the reading from 2 Timothy 1:8-12. Ian explained how the gospel was bought to light by the appearing of Jesus and also explained, so brilliantly I thought, that the word destroyed in verse 10 actually means ‘rendered useless or innefective’ when read in the original. Jesus has rendered death useless by His resurrection and this is why the Apostle Paul could say Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? (1 Cor 15:55) Jesus truly is the destroyer of death and I thought that was such a great way to start given that there are always lots of non-christians at the service!

Ian then also explained that Jesus doesn’t just destroy death but that He brings life and He shows this is John 14. Jesus tells the disciples He is going to prepare a room for them, and again the word ‘room’ can also be translated to be talking about these ancient motels , if you like, in the time of Jesus. They were places in the desert where people could relax and enjoy themselves on long journeys, however they were not very easy to find as they were in the middle of the desert! Jesus says He is preparing a place like that for us, a place that we will be able to rest in and enjoy peace! But then Thomas asks in verse 5: “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Just as in the desert there are no maps and no compasses to help find these places of rest, so Thomas wants to know if Jesus is preparing a place like that for us how do we find it? Jesus then answers so awesomely!

“I am the way and the truth and the life.”

How do we find our way through this life and to the place of rest? We look to Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life! Jesus is truly the destroyer of death, but He is also the giver of eternal life to all who would turn to Him! This was the best and most challenging Christmas message I have ever heard!

It’s beggining to look alot like Christmas!

It’s Chhhrrriiissstttmmmaaasss! These are the classic words from Noddy Holder that I have heard screamed everyday since December 1st as the same Christmas CD goes through all the classics at work! Not that I’m complaining though, I love Christmas! I love everything about the time of year and everything from the songs to the dinner to the festivities to the presents!

The one thing that I find so hard, though, is to fall into the ‘Christmas Culture’ which is pretty much nothing less, but certainly nothing more, than what I have just described as being what I love about this time of year.  In Britain the message simply seems to be: stock up on alcohol, get lots of presents and food and enjoy yourself! Now although I am really looking forward to Christmas and hope to have a really great time, it is so much more important to really try to remember what Christmas is all about:

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Luke 1: 26-33

As the word ‘Christmas’ seems to imply, Christmas is all about the Christ. What Christmas is really all about is remembering the amazing story of how God became man. When I actually stop and think about this, that God became human, it is an awesome and mind blowing thought!  It is also a great time to remember why he did – so to deal with our rebellion against God and restore us to a relationship with Him through His blood, shed on the cross. This is the real meaning of why we celebrate and why, as a Christian, I should love Christmas all the more as I recall these things.

It is very easy just to enjoy myself, so much harder and less disturbing to think of all those who have nothing, those who have no family, no friends, no money, no home. I hope that I will remember them this Christmas and you too if you are a Christian. Remember that it was the rejects like these that Jesus proclaimed His message of salvation to, the Gospel is good news for the poor (Luke 4:18)! I hope that the message of hope in Jesus Christ will again stir our hearts to reach out with the great message of salvation that was announced by the Angel to Joseph in a dream:

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”                                            Matthew 1:21

This is, indeed, what Christmas is all about!