24 December 2008

NO other way.

Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace, goodwill towards men. As the angels announce the birth of the Son of God they remind us as I do today that we can enjoy peace and goodwill from God our Father. He the mighty Judge who ought to condemn us for our sin rather desires our salvation. So the plan of salvation was conceived in the heart of our Father who loved the world. An early church father St. Athanasius says it well:

For the Word, perceiving that in NO other way could the corruption of men be undone, except by death as a necessary condition, while it was impossible for the Word [Jesus] to suffer death, being immortal and the Son of the Father; to this end He takes Himself a body capable of death, that it, by partaking of the Word who is above all, might be worthy to die in the place of all, and might, because of the Word which was come to dwell in it [a body], remain incorruptible, and that henceforth corruption might be kept from all by the grace of the Resurrection.

So we see that this Peace and Goodwill come to us because the Baby Jesus was capable of dying through the mystery of the incarnation from the womb of the Blessed Virgin. We touch Him and see Him in the manger this Christmas time to remind us that Jesus came in the flesh to bring us forgiveness of sin, life and salvation. We sing Alleluias and rejoice at this season; we see the Christ Child with the eyes of a childlike faith believing that this Jesus came not only in our heart but truly in the flesh to suffer and die. So I challenge you to come see in the manger our Savior, even the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and grants us His peace. Then and only then can we sing " Lord, now let your servant depart in Peace." Amen

Pr. Georg Williams

2 comments:

Rev. Rick Stuckwisch said...

Thank you, Brother Williams, for this beautiful good Word!

A Blessed Feast of our Lord's Nativity to you and yours, and to all.

Steven A. Hein said...

Most Beautiful. And let me add . . .As the Word of God was once announced to the Virgin Mary -- and that Word became flesh of her flesh and blood of her blood -- so does that same Word of God come to you, to be conceived in you (as it were) and born in you today. His Word to you is forgiveness and life, whereby He lifts you up from the frenzied disarray of your sinful existence in a sinful world to give you a story with real meaning and purpose. This incarnate Word who is now named Jesus has come to give you His own divine, eternal story in the flesh. The One Who made you, Who crafted you by His Word and Spirit -- Who has given you all that you are and all that you have -- Who made the world in which you live (and He made it to be very good) . . . He was not content or willing that you should remain in your sin, be in subjection to the world, the flesh, and the devil--this very Word of God has taken your poor flesh and blood to be His own; and in that humble frailty that we now behold in the manger, He has gone on to bear your griefs and carry all your sorrows . . . throughout the course of an ordinary human life (with all the joys and heartaches, ups and downs of your own story, save only without sin) . . . all the way to the Cross. The Word who was babied among us and named Jesus, grows in wisdom and stature and then suffers and dies for your sins.