Robert Griffith | 25 December 2022

Robert Griffith
25 December 2022

Political and social unrest dominate the news and economic distress grips the entire world. People are easily overcome with a sense of hopelessness and fear. As we embrace Christmas this year, it seems appropriate to refocus our attention on the reason we celebrate at all.

Christ entered history in times like ours: the Mediterranean world was under the occupation of the brutal Roman Empire. Corruption and abuse abounded. Taxes were high, the common man oppressed, the ruling powers capricious and often malevolent. Citizens were disillusioned; the nation of Israel had lost sight of their calling, having lost sight of the God Who had called them. The effects of wide-spread paganism were superstition, devaluation of life, and a lack of natural affection among mankind.

On this Christmas Day I want to invite you to see beyond the distress of an unsettled world, and consider the words God spoke through His prophets and apostles, offering peace, hope, love and joy in Christ for all who trust Him.

I pray these words will bless you and bring you closer to the Saviour Who came:

Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

Isaiah 9:6-7 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”

Isaiah 45:21-22 “Declare what is to be, present it – let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Saviour; there is none but me. Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.”