He Has Arrived!

He has Arrived

Jesus has come.  This is the day we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Fear not! Do not be afraid!” The angel spoke these words to Zachariah, to Mary, to Joseph, and finally to a group of shepherds on a hillside near Bethlehem.

“Do not be afraid; for behold I bring you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Fear has a way of tying our stomachs up in knots, paralyzing our thinking, inducing panic. Fear, and its cousin worry, can capture our hearts when we see ourselves caught in a vortex of disasters beyond our control.

As we enter this Christmas Season, celebrate the birth of our Savior and prepare for a new year,  I pray and encourage everyone in our church to consider and think about the words that Jesus spoke as a man.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus talks about tiny, defenseless sparrows in the context of fear and worry:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink…. Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

In another place he reassures his followers:

“Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

A Savior comes to rescue people in danger, preserve those who are threatened by harm, and protect his people from the troubles that surround them. That’s what saviors do! That’s what Jesus came to do for us.

Do not be afraid because God has sent a Savior to us — Jesus Christ the Lord. He is the One who will:

• Never leave us or forsake us.
• Supply all our needs according to his riches in glory.
• Add to us all the things we need as we seek him and his Kingdom.

The Real Christmas message is this: God has sent a Savior for you. To save you from your sins and to help you in this life — to lift your burden and ease your fears. That’s it! A Savior who is Christ the Lord — God himself!

The world is gripped by fear. But fear’s hold has been broken in those of us who believe the angel’s words:

“Fear not … for a Savior is born to you — Christ the Lord!”