Dear Friends,

The Christmas story is filled with great truths.  In it we see the miraculous work of God in conceiving His Son in the womb of a virgin. We see the humble work of God in causing His Son to be born in a lowly stable. We see the loving work of God in sending His Son to this earth to be the Saviour of His people.  However, one thing that struck me afresh as I reread the Christmas story was the lovely way in which the sovereign work of God comes out in the genealogy of Jesus Christ presented to us in Matthew chapter 1.  Way back in the Old Testament God had promised to send a Messiah to His people. Matthew 1 shows us how He controlled history to enable that Messiah to be born at just the right time. Not only at just the right time but also in the most perfect of ways.

Matt. 1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. 

Isn’t that just incredible?  God in His sovereign power controlling the lives of individuals and of nations to bring about the birth of His Son in such a perfect manner. God keeping His great promise in a way that surely reassures us that He will keep all His promises.

As we live in our time in history in a world filled with trouble, confusion and doubt it is so good to be reminded that God is on the throne and that He orders all things for the glory of His name and the good of His people. We need not be fearful because our God reigns. The one who ordered history in such a remarkable way to keep His promise of a Messiah is still ordering history to keep all His promises.  And what are His promises?  Here are but a few: 

Rom. 10:13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – You will be saved through faith in Christ

Rom. 5:9-10 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. – You can be saved from God’s wrath through Christ.

1Pet. 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you – Those who are born again will have an inheritance in heaven

Acts 1:11  “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” – Christ will come again.

All those promises will be kept. We can be sure of this because of Christmas.

Happy Christmas to you all.

Brian Boyd