Was, Is, and Is to Come

by Pastor Hugo Kaeding
December 31, 2006
Luke 2: 16, Luke 24: 51, Acts 1: 11

Christmas is a special holiday because it speaks to us about our past. It has a great deal to say about our present life, it tells us about our future. There are three verses that represent our text.

Luke 2: 16 The babe lying in a manger
Luke 24: 51 While He blessed them He parted from them and was carried up into heaven
Acts 1: 11 This same Jesus shall so come, in like manner as you have seen Him go

St. Luke wrote all three passages. Each represents a stellar moment ?±a high point in Jesus?? life. To understand Christmas, you must understand and connect all three.

When we hear someone say, ?¨So what if we do not say Merry Christmas, it is still a holiday. What??s wrong with Happy Holiday or Season??s Greetings? They all refer to the same holiday.?Æ Christmas is not a holiday. It is a unique holiday with a past, present and a future. People who think like this don??t understand and have not comprehended what Christmas really is. If you think about it, a life that began in such an unusual way as Jesus?? life began, can??t end with the common ordinary death that we all face. Jesus?? ascension into heaven did not end His life. It didn??t end His relationship with the human race. It only ended His physical appearance. The third event has not yet come, but we know something about it.

Notice what our creeds say:

1. He was born of the Virgin Mary, it goes on and states
2. He ascended up into heaven. It doesn??t stop there and it adds
3. From thence, He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

So let??s look at these three events so we truly understand Christmas.

Let??s start with Christmas. What took place in the stable in Bethlehem was not such an unusual event. In fact, it happened often and nobody though anything of it on that day. Remember how the shepherds told the villagers but nobody visited the child?

Men said, ?¨A child was born.?Æ The Angels said, ?¨The Word became Flesh.?Æ Which meant the eternal Godhead had just entered the human Family. The Son of God is now a man. Jesus?? birth had three goals:

1. To reveal God to sinful man in terms sinners could understand.
2. To live a perfectly sinless life, and
3. To be the great sacrifice for the sins of the world.

Jesus came to show us God. Jesus came to show us what we are. Jesus came to show us what we could be. Jesus came to show us what we will one day actually be. Once we realize Jesus was not born to end up in a grave, we begin to penetrate the mystery that surrounds Jesus?? birth. We ask, ?¨Why did God the Father do this??Æ Surely not out of anger. He could have punished us from where He is now. It must have been a benevolent reason. It was how God solved His problem. I am now speaking in human terms.

When Adam and Eve sinned, God lost His beloved people. They lost there image of God. But God did not want to lose the human race. Yet as a holy righteous God, He has to punish sin and separate Himself from sinners. He solved His problem by deciding to dump all the sin upon His Son and punish His Son instead.

Now we can understand the awe, the wonder, and adoration of the angels when they saw what God had done. Christmas reveals how much God loves us. Only one act of love is greater than Christmas and that was the cross.

How can anyone who sees God??s love for us on Christmas not want to praise, adore and worship God? Is it any wonder that Christians hug their Faith so tightly and treasure it even unto death? We along with Mary, begin to ponder these things in our hearts. We then begin to hang on to our faith with all our strength, heart and mind. We remember with thanksgiving all the blessings God has poured into our lives. We then sincerely want to become more and more Christ-like.

Let??s look at the second great event in Jesus?? life. Jesus?? ascension had one great goal. To let the benefits of His birth, death and resurrection become available to all mankind.

The Jesus that ascended was not the same Jesus that left God??s throne to be born. When Jesus ascended, He took with Him His human nature. Jesus?? human nature is permanently eternal. Christians see in that fact great comfort because it hints at the time when we as human beings will enjoy eternal life. I said enjoy because we already have eternal life.

Think how that fact changes the way we think and feel. We are quick to forgive others when we realize how much God has forgiven us. We want to become more Christ-like because bone of our bones, and flesh of our flesh, sits next to God the Father on His Throne. Jesus lives and rules the universe for our benefit and protection. How is it possible for us to not love on another?

On the cross, Jesus shouted it is finished. It may take centuries before the angels will say, ?¨It is finished?Æ as they gather God??s sons and daughters together on that great day. Let the world see us love one another here at Emmanuel.

This takes us to the third great event. Jesus?? second coming. The ascension did not end Jesus?? earthly life. As He rules this world, protects His Church and people, He is patiently waiting for the last true believer to be born. Then He will come again. Jesus decided when He would be born. He decided when He would die, and He will decide when He will come. But come He will.

This same Jesus with His manhood will come as they saw Him ascend. There was no whirlwind, no chariot, no fiery horses, no vehicle to lift Him up. He just began to gently and softly rise until the cloud folded its billows around Him.

Jesus will return and show Himself as He is. King of the World, Lord of lords, Savior of mankind. With all His glory, majesty, and brilliant Divinity. We who belong to Him think, ?¨He interceded for me when my sins were reported to God the Father.?Æ Can??t you see an angel handing God the Father a message telling Him what our sin was? God the Father will then sadly say, ?¨Yes, record it in the book of life.?Æ At that moment Jesus will lean over and say, ?¨Father, forgive. This one belongs to Me.?Æ The Father with a broad smile of happiness would then say to the angel after the deed was recorded, to blot it out so no one can read what was written.

Yes, Christmas started God??s plan and His plan will continue to function until Jesus returns. On that day, Jesus will order His angels to go into the mass of the living and the dead to bring out His people. The angels will go and tap people on the shoulder and point to Jesus?? right side. Then one angel will come and tap you on your shoulder and whisper in your ear, ?¨Go to Jesus?? right side and stand with His sheep.?Æ You will hear this whisper because Christmas came first.

Folks, I don??t know about you, but for me and my family, December 25, will always be Merry Christmas. Amen.

Rev. Hugo Kaeding