Read: Luke 1:67-80
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people… that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days."
Luke 1:68 & 74-75
Christmas season is probably one of the most exciting times for Western children raised in a country shaped and built by Christian ideals. The joy of putting up Christmas decorations. The thrill and anticipation of presents under the tree Christmas morning. The family gatherings and traditions.
When my children were young, we would take an evening to drive around and look at Christmas lights. Mind you, I never have put Christmas lights on my house, but we all enjoyed the hard work of others. It was an important point of emphasis to Holly and me, however, that we be very direct about the true meaning of Christmas. The lights, sounds, presents, and pageantries all point to something eternally important: the birth of our Redeemer.
In Luke 1, after Zechariah recovered his hearing and speech, he uttered a prophetic psalm to the Lord. In the first verse, he declares God has “visited and redeemed his people.” How? How is it that God has redeemed His people? God redeemed His people by sending His Son, Jesus. That’s why Christmas is so important! And that must be our primary focus during this Christmas season. To be sure, Christmas traditions are fun and valuable, but their value lies in what they point to and what undergirds them. The story of Christmas is a celebration of our redeemer delivering us from the “hand of our enemies.” What enemies do we have? Our enemies are cunning, fierce, and powerful. Our greatest enemies are sin and death. Jesus came so that all who repent and believe in the gospel may be saved from these destructive enemies. This redeemer, Zechariah proclaims, will come to set His people free from the power of sin by dying on the cross so that the consequences and damnable end of sin have no impact on those who believe.
Now, all who are redeemed can serve God without fear of our enemies: sin and death. And all those who are redeemed can serve without fear of the eternal consequences of sin and death. Now all who follow Christ are forgiven and have been removed from under the wrath of God. We can now serve the Lord, not in fear, but in “holiness and righteousness.” Not a holiness and righteousness that we personally cultivate or develop in our lives. The holiness and righteousness within us is a gift given to us by Christ. It is the righteousness and holiness of Christ that is imputed to us so that we can live as God has called us and created us to live.
•••
Prayer: Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the redemption of my soul. I can never stop thanking you for what you have done. Help me to be constantly reminded of the salvation you have given me through your Son. Cultivate within me the holiness and righteousness to which you have called me. Give me grace so that I may continue to be molded into the image of your Son.