Combining Purpose with Power

UV 3697/10000 Purpose and Power To shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet ( in a straight line) into the way of peace and serenity. Luke 1 v 79 Many impossibles came together to make the first Christmas: a virgin became pregnant, God became man, the King was born in a stable fit only for animals, a star became GPS for astronomers seeking an answer to every man’s quest- a Saviour King, angels appear to shephers in the fields, a barren woman conceives the herald of the king, the child escapes the deadly intent of King Herod for He, Jesus is the historic hero who eventually overthrows death itself. Those who sit in darkness refer to all of us before we found grace or favour in the sight of God through our faith in the name of Jesus. Darkness is a synonym for sin, ignorance, defeat, disgrace. Since mankind dwells in spiritual darkness, not knowing God or the purpose of existence, people are living in the shadow of death. The spectre of eternal death or spiritual death hangs over every man. The ultimate purpose of every human is to seek redemption from such death, to be able to life eternally or forever. The purpose of the life of Jesus is to shine upon us such that we live in the shadow not of death but of the Almighty.( Psalm 91) The appearance of the angelic messengers first to the shepherds is to show that Jesus is born as a shepherd -King. His purpose is to guide our feet in a straight line not a crooked or round about way into eternal peace. Hence, the title Prince of Peace implies that Jesus restores peace to a world full of storms, struggles, misery, fear, strife. He restores peace to our individual hearts and relationships by reconciling man and God establishing a covenant of peace between God and mankind forever. When the disciples were tossed about in their boat in a storm in the Sea of Galilee, they cried out to Jesus. Jesus speaks to the storm, the high waves and strong winds. He says, “ Peace, be still “ and the winds and waves became still. In all our existential struggles, too as we cry out to Jesus, He restores peace, deep, inner peace to us. Even the gifts given by the wise men to the newborn King of Peace underline the identity and purpose of the birth of Jesus. Gold signifies royalty as well as faith. Faith is the spiritual currency with which we buy things in the kingdom of God. We are like the broken pottery that is used in the Japanese art of Kintsugi which fixes pottery with veins of gold -a metaphor for the spiritual equivalent of gold- faith with love- mending human flaws and failures making us stronger and better than before. The frankincense represents the deity of Christ, the priesthood of believers and the commitment to holiness. Myrrh is both an anaesthetic and an embalming substance and represents that Jesus heals human pain, that He embraced death for our sake,( Luke 2 v 35). Having tasted the grace of God, we too need to die to our sinful selves, die to thoughts, words and actions that belong to our former darkness or ignorance.