CHRISTMAS EVE 2025

All the preparation, build-up, and anticipation... here we are!  Christmas Eve, the wonderful night when Jesus Christ was born.  What a journey!

And what a journey that Mary and Joseph were on: the angelic visit to announce Mary's part in the coming of Messiah, the emotional roller coaster of their engagement and the scandal and Joseph's angelic dream!  The physical journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem must have been the last thing they needed after the stress of the first 8 months of the pregnancy - the decree that they must register in the family's hometown and a week-long journey on foot (or donkey?) in her ninth month.

How could this betrothed couple in 1st century Israel ever fully understand and live through such an experience?  How could they prepare and truly be ready to bring the Son of God into the world?  

The truth is, none of us is really ever prepared to welcome the Lord Jesus Christ into our lives, into our world.  We get distracted, we doubt, we get discouraged and overwhelmed.  Our own efforts to make room in our hearts for Jesus are weak and amateur at best!  The Scripture says that "God saved you by His grace when you believed.  And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have, so none of us can boast about it." (Ephesians 2:8 & 9)

So how can we then prepare our hearts for the birth of our Saviour?  God is not asking us to take a trip, or to deprive ourselves or to escape our real world in order to become worthy of our Lord.  He is asking for repentance, a contrite heart.  John the Baptist preached repentance as preparation for the coming of Messiah.  His ministry was to go before Jesus and prepare the way (John 1:23)  "I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Clear the way for the Lord's coming?'"  After Jesus had died and rose again, the Apostle Peter preached this message: "Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)

And then we can take the step of faith, to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.  John 1:12 explains how we can take that step, how to make peace with God.  "But to all who believed him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God." 

The journey through Advent leads us to faith.  We can prepare and anticipate for all our lives but eventually we must step out and accept the gift God is offering through His Son: salvation, forgiveness, peace.  Jesus has paid it all.  He completed His mission on earth and died on the cross for us.  He declared: "It is finished."  (John 19:30)  There is nothing more to be done.  Christmas is here.

Thank you for joining me on this Advent through the "7 I Am's" of the Gospel of John.  I hope it has blessed and helped you in preparing for Christmas.  Enjoy your discovery of the Christ Child in the manger and of the Son of God, the Lamb of God, the Beginning and the End.  Immanuel.