In the concluding part of my series on “Tin Tin and Christmas”, today I would like to begin the devo with a school teacher like question once again…
Raise your hands, those of you who have been taught “how to lie” by their parents or School teachers. No hands would go up. Yes, no one teaches us how to lie or for that matter commit petty thefts, but these actions “take birth” in us, right from our childhood days. By the same token, after we cross a certain age, we would not dare go outside the house naked. No, not even atheists would do that!!! Why? Is it not because of inherent, fallen Adamic nature in all of us, reminding us of shame, all the time? That is why the Saviour remarked, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) This truth is as simple as it is profound. All of us, without any exception (even the so-called respectable people of the society, for they know their true condition in their heart of hearts) need a re-generation. It is to give this new spiritual re-birth that Saviour arrived right on dot in human history (Galatians 4:4). Jesus is no social revolutionary (to view him as one would be a case of missing the wood for the trees) but a spiritual revolutionary, who came to set right the shattered relationship (in the Garden of Eden) between God and man (Romans 5:19).
Now how does this spiritual re-birth take place? It is a one to one transaction between the Saviour and the sinner purely based on trust. Let the Scripture take over…
“But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” (Acts 2:21/Romans 10:13)
It is an experience to be experienced personally, for words may not be adequate to describe the heavenly joy that in fills the heart of a saved sinner when he/she put his/her trust on Jesus to save him/her from sins…
“Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt.” (Psalm 32:2).
“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn — not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” (John 1:12-13)
The immortal Christmas hymn (originally penned by Charles Wesley) gets it right…some portions of it I am quoting here…
Hark the Herald angels sing…
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
God and sinners reconciled!
Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place
While the same Saviour who in and through His First advent gives “joy and peace of salvation” individually to “all” who accept Him, also guarantees to bring universal world-wide order and peace in His second advent (Isaiah 9:6).
This Christmas, those who have never tasted Christ’s love, more than tasting sweetness in the cakes or wine, I would urge you to partake in the sweetness of the Saviour’s love by receiving Him into your hearts. Honestly to “enjoy” Christmas, there is no need for a “Star outside the house and a bar inside”. Rather rephrase and adopt the Intel slogan, “Jesus Inside“.
And those who have already tasted of the Christ’s redemptive love spread the Good news amongst those living away from the Saviour that the joy the former are experiencing in their hearts can be that of the latter too.
Yes, that’s truly Merry Christmas…with joy emanating from the depths of one’s heart. Talk of enjoying heaven, right here on earth (John 10:10 / Gal 5:22-23). Hey, this is not conditional happiness based on circumstances but one which comes on righting the relationship with the Creator, who sent the Redeemer for that purpose!!!
Ah Tintin’s Red Rackham’s treasure? Wanna more joy than getting hands on any perishable treasure:
Go no further than making the Saviour of the whole world YOUR Saviour, too!
Prayer; Father, there is no greater treasure than having Thy Son in my heart. I thank Thee once again for sending the Saviour into this messy World to save us…Me…Amen and Amen!
Yours in His service,
Suresh Manoharan
J and SM Ministries
(To access the entire “Tin Tin and Christmas” mini-series, please click here.)