Everyone knows that there is something wrong with this world. Only the naïve would ever dare to say that the world with its last century of bloodshed and wars is perfect. And all the religions and philosophers of the world have tried to offer their practical solutions. Buddhism and Hinduism say that the problem is desire. Dispense with desire and you will achieve freedom from the endless cycle of rebirth. In Islam, lack of enough good deeds to outweigh your wrongs is the problem so submit to Allah, do good, and try to earn your eternal life. In Canadian culture, the problem is a lack of opportunity or resources to carry out your dreams. There is no afterlife, so its up to you to live life to the fullest!
But I dare say that all of these “practical” solutions are incorrect and do not get at the heart of what is wrong with the world. Sin – that is humanity’s true problem. The bad impulse that lives inside each of us. The Christian answer to the question, “What is wrong with the world?” is wild and uniquely offensive, but it’s true. The problem is you. It’s you and your sin. The innate wrongness in the human heart that drives us to self-preservation, selfishness, and rebellion against God’s authority over our lives. The Bible tells us that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We love anything and anyone else over the God who made us. We are treasonous traitors to the king of all the universe, living as if we are our own gods. And for that the penalty is death. And no one, can ever do enough good in their lives to justify themselves before a holy, perfect and almighty God.
This is why we love celebrating Jesus so much as Christmas! Not because we like being sentimental about a baby, but because that little baby Jesus grew up into a man who went around declaring to everyone that God’s kingdom had come. He taught thousands of people, healed the sick, and raised the dead! Though he was God, the Bible tells us that Jesus ate food like us, cried like us, and died on the cross for our sins.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
That is LOVE, my friends! God coming for us, living a perfect life that we could never hope to live and taking our punishment. This is why Jesus humbled himself and became a man.
"…though he was in the form of God, [he] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:6-11)
The God in heaven is a Judge, and that is terrifying, but he is also your Saviour. And he calls to you in love. When you were so lost and unable to find your way to God, Jesus came to look for you. When you were so in debt that you could not hope to pay for your sins, Jesus came to pay them for you.
All the religions of the world say do. Only the Gospel says done. The Gospel offers you bad news, “You’re best isn’t good enough,” but at the same time it offers you the greatest news in the world, “Jesus has given you his best—and that is good enough.”
Friends, this is the most important question you can ever ask. Who is Jesus to you? Is he just a feel-good baby from a nativity set? Or is he the King of Kings and the Lord of lords?
Excerpts from Christmas service sermon by Samuel Chua
