Joy To The World – In Christ We Are One
10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:10-14
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13
Jesus, born in manger, is more than a nice story. He came to reveal His Father’s heart to save us from our sin and restore in us His compassion for one another. So go deeper: As believers in Jesus, how do we relate to one another in today’s world?
Paul’s words to the Corinthians above remind us that every born again believer is baptized into the body of Christ and drinks from the river of the Holy Spirit which flows within us; as we are one in Christ as He is One with the Father.
We know Jesus now sits at the right hand of God. Do we also know that we all sit together in Christ as He sits next to our Father in Heaven? Knowing also that Jesus and the Father are One, Paul says, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26-28
Christians are joined together by the Holy Spirit, in Christ, Who has reconciled us to His Father. What does this mean?
There is no separation from God anymore and should be no separation from each other anymore. John wrote that we may have fellowship with each other as we fellowship with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3). He also warned that, “19 We love Him because He first loved us. 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” 1 John 4:19-21
The old song encourages us, “They will know we are Christians by our love.”
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” John 17:20-23
We need to focus on Jesus and His love, as well as Father God’s love for us and in us for one another. We’ll never be one, as Jesus prayed, while we focus on the things we allow to separate us. Not only is there no Jew or Gentile, master or slave, male or female in Christ, neither is there left or right, democrat of republican. In Christ, a Speaker is right to say, “I don’t hate anyone!”
Believe it or not, Jesus was born into this world to receive the sin of hatred upon Himself and carry it to the cross where He would forgive it there. Are we still on the cross with Jesus; trying to agree with Him to stop hating? Or have we risen with Him to the right hand of the Father, Who loves us and our enemies, too?
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3
Let’s celebrate Christmas by remembering that it began in a manger, yet led us into the throne room. Remember by choosing to forgive what makes us angry and allow God’s love, which sent Jesus to save us, to fill our hearts for one another.
Joy to the world and peace among men!
Merry Christmas!