Christmas Brings Us Together

Christmas Brings Us Together

One of my favorite Christmas services at our church is the presentation of Handel’s Messiah. With string players from the Houston Symphony and a one-hundred-voice choir, Handel’s Messiah brings together new people, longtime church members, and many former church members who have moved away.

From the moment of his birth, Jesus began to bring people from far and wide to himself to worship. The shepherds came by the announcement of the angels. The magi came from the East because of the appearance of the star.

If all you do this Christmas is gather with family and friends and you fail to worship Jesus, you have missed the most important point of Christmas. His birth was the arrival of God, taking on flesh to redeem all of mankind from our sin problem. His ministry brought joy, life, and healing to so many in Israel. His teaching and miracles compelled his disciples to say, “Surely, this is the Messiah.” His life that brought light to so many caused his enemies to seek to take it away. One of the most compelling points of the Good News of Christ is that his death and resurrection not only brought people to God, but it also brought about reconciliation among them.

Ephesians 2:14 declares, “Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.” In Ephesians 3 Paul calls this a mystery that was kept hidden. What a marvelous God we have! Truly Christmas brings us together!

Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.

Ephesians 2:14