Listen to the words Paul wrote to the gentile Christians in Ephesians 2:12, “…remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” They were separated, alienated, strangers, without hope and without God. This describes everyone who was not part of the commonwealth of Israel. But even the Jews waited hundreds of years in silence for the promises to be fulfilled. But one day, about 2,000 years ago, the silence was broken:

Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King:
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with th’angelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Christ, God’s only Son was born in Bethlehem. He came as God’s lamb to take away the sins of the world. He came so all of us who were far off could be brought near to God. He came to give whosever would believe the, “but now” we all desperately needed.

In Ephesians 2:13 Paul continued by saying, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” And explains further in verses 17 to 19, “And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God…” We are no longer strangers and aliens, but members of the household of God. If that doesn’t cause us to sing praises, what will?

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.  

Christmas brings us hope. Jesus was born to be the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He was born to die so that we who believe would not die. He came to give us a second birth, not of the flesh but of the spirit. John 1:9-13 says, “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” Light, and hope, and reconciliation all wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger.

Christmas is God’s gift of love to us. A gift so amazing that angels sang. A gift that draws us out of darkness and into God’s marvleous light. A gift of life. So come, let us give him praise. Come, let us adore him. He is worthy!