My dearly beloved in Christ, I greet you all in the mighty name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He is Emmanuel. He is with us, yesterday , today and tomorrow,  all the time. May the Lord bless you all and bring abundant joy during this Christmas.

There was  a man who lived in the days of Jesus. He lived in the wilderness. He was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin abut his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey ( Mark 1 : 6).  Among other things Gabriel the angel told his father Zacharias, the angel also said : “ And he go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” ( Luke 1: 17 ). Zacharias received this message with doubt and would become dumb, until little John was born and named ! Some time later after appearing before Zacharias, the  angel Gabriel appeared before Mary and proclaimed to her about the forthcoming birth of Jesus and also cautioned Joseph who was then engaged to her and wanted to secretly do away with the engagement.

  John grew up and was living in the wilderness.  He did not do  big miracles. He did not show  great signs and wonders. He did not heal any sickness nor drove out unclean spirits. But he preached - he preached baptism of  repentance for the remission of sins ( Luke 3:3) . It was striking that,  even the Pharisees  and Sadducees among many others came to him, confessed their sins and were baptized.  The Authority of the Holy Spirit was on him. Jesus was also baptized by him. John humbled himself by stating that he is not worthy even to carry the sandals of the One Who is coming after him.(Mathew 3:11)

The scholars say, for a long time, jewish society was expecting two things to happen :  One was the arrival of “The Prophet “ ( as said by Moses) and The Messiah :  The One,  jews thought,  would redeem them from the slavery of the Roman empire. Seeing the kind of revival he created, the Sanhedrin sent its officers to John the Baptist. They asked him : “Who are you ?” He denied being the Christ nor Elijah but said he has come to proclaim the arrival and make straight the way of the Lord. He also said whereas he baptizes with water, the One who is to come will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire ( Mathew 3:11). In the eyes of John the Baptist, he was pretty sure that Jesus is (the long awaited) Christ (The Messiah). That is why when some of his disciples told that  Jesus is baptizing many, he said : “ He must increase, but I must decrease “ ( John 2:30). Then he makes an important statement : “ The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life;” ( John 3: 35). In fact we see that Jesus states about Himself and His mission many times, but only to be criticized by the jewish orthodoxy. The masses went behind Him more because of the miracles. Only a select few acknowledged that Jesus is Christ (Messiah). All the four Gospels describe in depth what John  the Baptist did and his many proclamations about Jesus. But after saying all these, while being imprisoned, he became doubtful and sends his disciples to ask the most astonishing question of his life : Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” ( Luke 7:19). The Gospel of Luke says, John asked this question after his disciples reported to him all Jesus did including raising the dead ! Perhaps John the Baptist also believed like most other Jews that The Messiah will be a King Who will defeat the Romans and restore the Jewish Kingdom and redeem the glory of the Temple. But Jesus told his disciples to ask John to have a  relook of the things He has done. What is unsaid is reflection of Isaiah 61:1-3 . All the prophecies about Jesus were fulfilled in His life. Even though John the Baptist quoted Isaiah correctly what was prophesied  about himself, at least this one instance, he failed to appreciate the life and mission of Jesus. This is for a man who was rated by Jesus  as the best,  born of any woman in this world !

Many occasions, we celebrate Christmas as anyone celebrates any festival. Church service, new clothes, the great carols, connoisseur food and family reunion . But do we celebrate the birth of Jesus ? The only begotten Son of God, who humbled himself and was born in a manger, his birth announced to the poor shepherds first. In Him was life and the life was light of the men,  (John 1:4). For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Christ (Johm 1 : 17)

When John the Baptist was arrested, it is written that Jesus immediately started preaching that the Kingdom of heaven is near and called for repentance of hearts. When we confess our sins and humble ourselves before Jesus, He not only forgives all our sins, but also anoints us to be kings and queens to be seated beside Him in heaven.

May the spirit of Christmas bring the joy of redemption in our hearts and praise for Him from our mouths. Because He is Emmauel. God with us.

Merry Christmas to all our dear ones.

Amen.

God’s Love Missions Family