'First Christmas'
“God so loved the world that he sent His son”- that is the reality of Jesus’ birth. Jesus was born to Virgin Mary in Bethlehem 2022 years ago. That was the 1st Christmas. Days and years have gone by with the Celebration of Christmas which creates different cultures around the celebration in the world church and in society. Christmas Celebration always gives space to increase the nature of our sharing through exchanging gifts in family gatherings or sharing gifts with the poor, and needy people to share our love and care at this particular time. Especially all festive moods with lots of fun are generated around the season of Christmas every year.
In some of our cultures, we have a tradition of families gathering together during Christmas Celebration, for example, the Celebration of Christmas is an additional blessing to the newly married couple of the year as they will be invited by their parents and celebrate Christmas significantly with receiving new clothes which is the norm of the Christian families and they call that Christmas as their 1st Christmas.
So we can reflect on “what is the real meaning of a 1st Christmas to all of us”. What can be our focus amongst our fun and celebration of Jesus’ birth this year?
Isaiah prophesied -
For a child has been born for us, a son is given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Matthew mentions in his Gospel what the names of the Son are and the meaning of the names too. Matthew explained, an Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
“Mary will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” And also the Angel reminded Joseph this situation happens to fulfil what the Lord had said through the Prophet - “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God is with us”). These two names of Jesus - the Saviour and Immanuel-God is with us, change human history which needs to be celebrated because that is the meaning of Christmas.
Jesus was born to save the world; Jesus was born to create a relationship between God and humans. Jesus was born to show the nature of divine love among us. He is Immanuel. He was born to be with us. We are no more living with loneliness or companionless because God is with us always.
This year of the Golden Jubilee of Putney Church brings lots of Joy within us to raise our voices to say Immanuel is with us. This year Christmas is an opportunity for all of us to increase our grateful hearts to God for His faithful presence with us as “Immanuel” in our Church family life journey.
May our celebration of Christmas individually or corporately brings glory to God in the Highest and bring Peace amongst us in our families and within us. He is our Prince of Peace. May the Lord enable us to exhibit His love, His Hope and His Peace during this Christmas.
In reality, we are all still in the Pandemic era and many of you still celebrate this Christmas with your grief for your loss. May this year Christmas encourage one another from our life situation to see Jesus as a “Wonderful Councillor, Mighty God and Prince of Peace”
I wish and pray, May this year's Christmas in this special year of LTCC brings wholistic healing, Resurrected Hope, divine love and everlasting Peace to celebrate Christmas very meaningfully and joyfully.
In His Service
Revd. Jessie Anand
Minister - LTCC December 2022