GATHERINGS

As the day Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus quickly approaches, music fills the air, Christmas movies and cartoons flood the airways, and the living room furniture is forced to yield to an attention-getting tree that seems to be shedding colorful, shiny, bow-topped boxes. There is joy at the prospect of seeing family and friends, of watching children rip into carefully wrapped treasures, and as was the case merely a month before, of feasting and an afternoon nap. Christmas is a time of giving. It is in honor of the Gift God gave the world that first Christmas: His only begotten Son (Jn. 3:16).

Ironically, Jesus never mentioned His birthday. There is not a single verse in the Bible that speaks of celebrating His birthday. Perhaps that is why no one actually knows when Jesus was born. Not only do we not know the month and day, we are not even sure of the year. On the other hand, Jesus does want us to remember His death. And, as a result, thought we do not know the year, we do know the month and day: the fourteenth of Nisan (Lev. 23:5; Jn. 1:26; 1 Cor. 5:7). Why do you suppose He wanted us to emphasize His death and not His birth? Could it be that His birth was prophesied to be the beginning of much sorrow? The first mention of Him speaks of His suffering (Gen. 3:15), and His end was known from the beginning (Ps. 22; Isa. 53; Lk. 2:34-35; Rev. 13:8).

No, it is not in His birth, but in His death that we have hope. The Apostle Paul wrote:

"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by Man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so, in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming" (1 Cor. 15:20-23).

"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This is the cup of the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till He come" (1 Cor. 11:23-26).

So you see, it is in remembering His death that we find hope! Notice the last three words of the quote: "till He come." Jesus did not remain in that borrowed tomb; He rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:3-4). Not only was He raised from death, He is alive, and He promises to return for us (Jn. 14:1-6). It is in Him that we have the assurance that we will see our loved ones again, not just a couple of times a year, but for eternity.