With the recent upgrade to the Dungannon Christmas lights, I was delighted to see the return of the Christmas angels at the hospital roundabout in Dungannon. I have always appreciated their presence each Christmas, silently joining the celebrations as the traffic whizzes by. They are one of the few remaining reminders around town that Christmas is in fact about Christ.
Watching all the rush and excitement that Christmas brings, the presents and parties, a visitor from another world may well find it hard to believe it is in fact a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Many seem happy to forget about the child who was born in a Bethlehem cattle shelter, over 2000 years ago, for whom armies of heaven’s angels rejoiced.
Every time I drive past the festive angels tooting their trumpets, I’m reminded of the truths that the real angels teach us. They did not appear to the rich or religious, but to rough Judean sheep herders, clear evidence of God’s love for the nobodies of this world. Those shepherds got the fright of their lives, as the night sky was suddenly ablaze with Heaven’s glory and they heard this lifechanging message:
“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10,11)
Why had this Saviour been born? Why had the long-promised Messiah come, the One the Old Testament prophets had written about in detail centuries before? The angel told them it was for “you.” He had come to save them personally. To provide those shepherds with a way back to God, a way that they could have their sins completely forgiven and be made fit to dwell in God’s presence forever. This was the best news they had ever heard!
But this Saviour was also born for “all people.” The angel’s good news is for everyone, regardless of their sin, social status, religion or race. No one is excluded. He has come for all, for all need a Saviour. The Bible is clear that we “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We are all lost, wandering away from God, and facing His righteous, eternal judgment for our sin and rebellion against Him.
The Christmas angels brought the wonderful news that God has provided the Saviour we each so desperately need. His eternal Son Jesus Christ would eventually go to the cross and “bare our sins in His own body” (1 Peter 2:24). He died for our sins and rose victoriously the third day, so that all who repent of their sins and trust Him alone to save them, will receive eternal life and be rescued from the power of sin in their life. I wonder have you ever taken it in that He died for you personally? Have you ever come in repentance to God and accepted the gift of salvation He is offering you through His Son?
“By grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8,9)
When the shepherds heard this wonderful message, they left their flocks and ran as fast as their legs could carry them, to find the Saviour the angels spoke of. And find Him they did. The Saviour of the world, lying swaddled in an animal’s feeding trough.
God with us.
The next time you are passing the hospital roundabout, remember the message those angels are still proclaiming: the Saviour has come for you! But don’t just hear the message and drive on by. Be like the shepherds and come to the Saviour without delay.
“Come unto me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
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