Christ Is Victor
November/December 2000 Vol. 13, No. 6
Good
Tidings of Great Joy to All People
"The angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."
While we rejoice and praise God for the multitudes of those who are truly converted, who girdle the globe, it should be a matter of great heart-searching to us that there are yet millions to whom the message and the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ have never been truly given and demonstrated.
The shepherds who heard the message of the Saviour’s birth, acted immediately. Even in the dead of night they did a most unshepherdly thing, which was to leave their sheep and to go seeking for the Saviour. The message of the angel electrified them into action. Finding this Saviour immediately they deemed to be of greater worth and value than all their earthly possessions- their sheep.
Millions around the world sing of the quest of the shepherds. These humble shepherds have found an honored place in the most marvellous Christmas story. Yet how few are those who seek the Lord as the shepherds did!
In stark contrast to the obedience of the shepherds stands the disobedience of Christian men and women who having heard the call of God to go and give the good tidings of the Saviour still sit in their miserable little lounge chairs.
"Which shall be to all people." We have certainly managed to throw around the Christmas story an iron curtain of selfishness. We keep this good Saviour to ourselves, while the millions around us live in ignorance of His incomparable love, grace and mercy. This good news was meant for all people. We dare not bring a curtailment to the universality of the Christian Gospel by our smugness, love of the world and naked disobedience to the call of God to take this liberating message to all people.
The harvest is ripe now. Our opportunities are very great today. We are trying to reach out into all the nations of the world. The bloodshed in various parts of this world must bring great agony to our hearts. This is the time to declare the Saviour to the needy masses. We see terrorism in many nations today. Our hearts must cry out to God. We must run to them with the Gospel like the shepherds.
The old man of God, Simeon, cries ecstatically, holding the babe of Christmas in his arms, "Mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people." (Luke 2:30,31). Here again we see the recurring truth. This Saviour has come to prepare a salvation for all people. No limitation of culture, race or clime can be put upon this great salvation. It is for all people.
Let this sink into our hearts. When we look at those around us who are still without the Saviour let our hearts cry out with anguish and agony, "Oh Lord my God, is not Thy great salvation for these my neighbours, colleagues and friends?" Even as you let this great truth percolate into your subconscious mind, there will arise in your heart a great passion to give Christ to others. This high and noble passion to win souls can cause your whole personality to be geared for great usefulness and propel you into positive action.
Simeon also adored the holy infant with the words: "A light to lighten the gentiles." (Luke 2:32) Christmas is accepted as just another festival in many places. Some even try to draw some parallel between the birth of the Saviour and the birth of fictitious characters of epic stories. This Light, this great Saviour, was born to lighten even the one seated in the impenetrable gloom of the darkest religion. Several religions actively seek to throw a smokescreen round the Saviour. "Look at the Christian nations," they mock, not realising that no Western nation qualifies for the term ‘Christian nation’. Even now great hostility is encountered by those who turn to the Lord Jesus Christ from Hinduism and the Muslim fold. Their relatives just begin to hate them. Yet the Saviour has come to send light into the hearts of the very ones that hate Him.
Let us gird our spirits with new strength to lift up Christ. Once and only once did the angels give the message of Christmas. Now it is for us to speed forth the good news with our love, sacrifice and prayer.
-Joshua Daniel
A
Christmas Gift in Prison
Some years ago, while conducting a series of meetings in
After the singing I rose to preach, but could hardly speak for weeping. Disregarding all the rules of the prison, in my earnestness to help the poor, fallen men, I left the platform and walked down the aisle among them, taking one, and then another by the hand and praying for him. At the end of the row of men who were committed for murder, sat a man who more than his fellows seemed marked by sin’s blighting curse. His face was seamed and ridged with scars and marks of vice and sin. He looked as though he might be a demon incarnate if once aroused to anger. I placed my hand upon his shoulder and wept and prayed with and for him.
"Do you remember," said the governor, "the man at the end of the line is the lifers’ row, whom you prayed with? Would you like to hear his history?" "Yes, gladly" I answered. "Well, here it is in brief. Tom Galston was sent here about eight years ago for the crime of murder. He was without a doubt, one of the most desperate and vicious characters we had ever received, and, as was expected, gave us a great deal of trouble.
"One Christmas Eve, about six years ago, duty compelled me to spend the night at the prison instead of at home, as I had anticipated. Early in the morning, while it was yet dark I left the prison for my home, my pockets full of presents for my little girl. It was a bitter cold morning, and I buttoned my overcoat up to protect myself from the cutting wind that swept in from the lake. As I hurried along, I thought I saw somebody skulking in the shadow of the prison wall. I stopped and looked a little more closely, and then I saw a little girl, wretchedly clothed in a thin dress; her bare feet thrust into a pair of shoes much the worse for wear. In her hand she held, tightly clasped, a small paper parcel. Wondering who she was and why she was out so early in the morning, and yet too weary to be interested, I hurried on. But I soon heard that I was being followed. I stopped, and turned round, and there before me stood the same wretched-looking child.
"What do you want?" I asked sharply. "Are you the governor of the prison, sir?" "Yes, who are you, and why are you not at home?" "Please sir, I have no home; mamma died in the poorhouse two weeks ago, and she told me just before she died that papa (Tom Galston) was in prison; and she thought that may be he would like to see his little girl, now that mamma is dead. Please, can’t you let me see my papa? Today is Christmas, I want to give him a present."
"No," I replied gruffly. "You will have to wait until visitor’s day," and started on. I had not gone many steps, when I felt a pull at my coat, and a pleading voice said, "Please don’t go". I stopped once more, and looked into the pinched, beseeching face before me. Great tears were in her eyes, while her little chin quivered with emotion. "Mister," she said, "If your little girl was me, and your little girl’s mamma had died in the poorhouse, an’ her papa was in the prison, an’ she had no place to go an’ no one to love her, don’t you think she would like to see her papa? If it was Christmas, and your little girl came to me, if I was the governor of the prison, an’ asked me to please let her see her papa to give him a Christmas present, don’t you-don’t you think I would say yes?"
"By this time a great lump was in my throat, and my eyes were swimming in tears. I answered, "Yes, my little girl, I think you would, and you shall see your papa," and, taking her hand, I hurried back to the prison, thinking of my own fair-haired little girl at home. Arriving in my office, I bade her come near the warm stove while I sent a guard to bring No.37 from his cell. As soon as he came into the office he saw the little girl. His face clouded with an angry frown, and in a gruff savage tone he snapped out:
"Nellie, what are you doing here; what do you want? Go back to your mother." "Please papa," sobbed the little girl, "mamma’s dead. She died two weeks ago in the poorhouse, an’ before she died she told me to take care of little Jimmy, ‘cause you loved him so, and told me to tell you she loved you, too-but, papa,"-and here her voice broke in sobs and tears-Jimmy died too last week, an’ now I am alone, papa"-an’ today’s Christmas, papa, an’- and I thought may be as you loved Jimmy, you would like a little Christmas present from him."
"Here she unrolled the little bundle she held in her hand, until she came to a little package of tissue paper, from which she took out a little fair curl, and put it in her father’s hand, saying as she did so: "I cut it from dear little Jimmy’s head, papa, just afore they buried him."
"No. 37 by this time was sobbing like a little child, and so was I. Stooping down, 37 picked up the little girl, pressed her convulsively to his breast while his great frame shook with suppressed emotion."
"The scene was too sacred for me to look upon, So I softly opened the door and left them alone. In about an hour I returned. No.37 sat near the stove, with his little daughter on his knee. He looked at me sheepishly for a moment, and then said, "Governor, I haven’t any money;" then suddenly stripping off his prison jacket, he said, "For God’s sake don’t let my little girl go out this bitter cold day with that thin dress. Let me give her this coat. I’ll work early and late; I’ll do anything. I’ll be a man. Please, Governor, let me cover her with this coat." Tears were streaming down the face of the hardened man.
"No, Galston" I said. "Keep your coat, your little girl shall not suffer. I’ll take her to my home and see what my wife can do for her.’ ‘God bless you,’ sobbed Galston. I took the girl to my home. She remained with us a number of years and became a true Christian by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s book shows man’s need and God’s remedy (Romans 3:9-24; John 3:1-16).
"Tom Galston also became a Christian, and then he gave us no more trouble" (Luke 8:35) concluded the speaker. A year ago, when I visited the prison again, the governor said to me, "Kain, would you like to see Tom Galston, whose story I told you a few years ago?’ ‘Yes, I would,’ I answered. The governor took me down a quiet street, and stopping at a neat home, knocked at the door. The door was opened by a cheerful young woman, who greeted the governor with the utmost cordiality.
"We went in, and then the governor introduced me to Nellie and her father, who, because of his conversion, had received pardon, and was now living an upright Christian life with his daughter, whose little Christmas gift had broken his hard heart.
-Selected
Reality
Check!
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is
given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no
end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to
establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The
zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. -Isaiah 9:6,7
Man’s Noblest Exercise
During this affliction I was brought to examine my life in relation to eternity closer than I had done when in the enjoyment of health. In this examination relative to the discharge of my duties toward my fellow creatures as a man, a Christian minister, and an officer of the Church, I stood approved by my own conscience; but in relation to my Redeemer and Saviour the result was different. My returns of gratitude and loving obedience bear no proportion to my obligations for redeeming, preserving, and supporting me through the vicissitudes of life from infancy to old age. The coldness of my love to Him who first loved me and has done so much for me overwhelmed and confused me; and to complete my unworthy character, I had not only neglected to improve the grace given to the extent of my duty and privilege, but for want of improvement had, while abounding in perplexing care and labor, declined from first zeal and love. I was confounded, humbled myself, implored mercy, and renewed my covenant to strive and devote myself unreservedly to the Lord.
- Bishop McKendree
Unto Us a Child is Born
The child is born unto us. The whole Nature around us, angels above us and the saints of God who knew Him had been expecting the Son. When a kingdom is awaiting a child to be born in the royal family, and when a son is born, the whole kingdom is filled with joy. There is a spirit of triumph abroad because an heir-apparent is born. Here also the prophet sees that a time of triumph for God’s kingdom has come. The Hebrew prophet says, "the government shall be upon his shoulders." He will be called ‘Wonderful’, and ‘Counsellor’ and the almighty God. The Son who is going to be born will be far greater than any wise man or any great king that was born in this earth. He will be the second Adam with the innocence of the first Adam before he was deceived. When Jesus was born the greatness of the event was fully understood only by Heaven. Nature seemed to understand it and a new star appeared in the sky. The magi or the wise men understood this and the extremely simple folk, the shepherds, understood this. The whole universe had been looking forward to this great event. "The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." (Romans 8:22) Sin not only affects humanity but also affects Nature. When sin came, thorns came (Genesis 3:18). In the first home, murder between brothers was committed. Animals that were friendly to man became inimical to him. The human heart became desperately wicked, producing poisonous thoughts and making the imaginations of man a source of untold trouble to him; untimely rains, floods, storms, failure of crops and allied natural calamities began to occur.
A King came into the world who can restore order again. He is the Prince of peace. There were dangerous forces at work to destroy humanity and to wipe out all peace and safety in this world. But this King has power to quell all these things. He demonstrated His power on the sea. For instance, He ordered the roaring sea with the fiat "Peace be still" (literally "muzzled") and the winds and the sea obeyed. The disciples saw for the first time the Almighty God in Him. When He rose from the dead, He was completely crowned as the Lord of heaven and earth.
Not only the troubled sea but also the trouble heart with so much agitation, commotion and disturbance can be restored into peace--the peace that passeth all understanding. Only those that have believed in Him understand the supernatural or superhuman influence of this new born Babe. The world and its philosophers have been seeking for peace. Here comes the Prince of peace who can touch human nature and transform it into divine nature. The sin of mankind is nailed to the Cross and the resurrection- victory ransoms us from the power of the grave, redeeming us from death (Hosea 13:14).
Only those who are born of the Spirit can understand the significance of the great events of our Lord’s birth. A Son is born to be the King of the whole universe and by virtue of His holy life, having been tempted like any one of us, but was always above sin (Hebrews 4:15). He proved that the prerogatives that were given to the first Adam were sufficient to make him triumph over the evil one. This same Jesus, having been tempted in all points like as we are was without sin and then He took upon Himself the sin of humanity. He took it into the grave and buried it there. Thus He befitted Himself to be the King. Even Nature recognised Him when the earth trembled and the sun became dark and the grave delivered up some of the saints, who arose and appeared before men. He walked on the earth as a king. Death yielded and the dead were raised to life. The grave had to give up Lazarus when He stood before its mouth and made Lazarus walk out a live man. Greater than that several sinful men and women who were ‘dead in trespasses and sins’ went from him completely changed. In an hour’s conversation the harlot of Sychar became the missionary of the same place. He became the King who conquered then depraved human nature and restored man back to his near-angelic position.
The very name of Jesus makes the under-world tremble. The devil and his angels have been holding complete sway over the world, filling the human mind with sophistry and misguided philosophy which has missed the way of salvation. When men began to worship idols, these evil spirits entered the idols and created in deluded men and women a kind of false reality. But the depraved human nature is never bettered by this kind of idol worship. All the so-called ‘avatars’ are a human fabrication and some persons even philosophise over the sinful lives of these ‘avatars’. But this Jesus, after two thousand years, remains unspotted and no one can ascribe any kind of impurity, sin or selfishness to Him. He is the self-less Deity who took upon Himself our sickness, sin and sorrow. Our sicknesses and sorrows produced in Him those wounds, while He willingly gave His life for humanity. Jesus by virtue of His character stands supreme in heaven and on earth. Nobody can dethrone Him and those that follow this great Saviour also share His greatness. They stand supreme not by human support nor by patriotic sentiment but by sheer virtue which gives them the highest place in humanity. The grave has no power upon them. There is no fear of death in them—Jesus allays all fears. They become the stars that shine for ever in the firmament of God’s kingdom.
Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end and the throne of David will overflow with judgement and justice for ever. He is known as ‘the rod of the stem of Jesse’, ‘a branch’ that should grow out of his stem. He came from the family of Abraham. God’s promise that all the nations of the world will be blessed through Abraham’s family is being fulfilled. He will be a person of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord and He will not judge by the sight of His eyes nor reprove after the hearing of His ears (Isaiah 11:2,3). He is the ‘Wonderful-Counsellor’, who, with transcendental wisdom guides His people. There is no wisdom above the wisdom that comes from Jesus. All the philosophers of the world have become dwarfs before Him. He lived what He preached. His philosophy was translated into holy living. The world wants to see a great philosophy or a revealed philosophy in concrete form and that is personified in Jesus. God made it possible for man to look at His own image in the flesh. On the Cross we see the broken and the bleeding heart of God, the heart that was broken for sin-ridden humanity. Finally we see Him enthroned in Heaven above all principality and power.
Is this great and matchless Saviour and Lord the undisputed ruler of your whole personality and all that you have this Christmas?
-Late Mr. N. Daniel