The real meaning behind Christmas (Part one)

[Dr Denis O'Callaghan]

Gentle Reader,

In a month or so you will sit down to enjoy a movie in which a story of fiction will be hailed as the truth and many will turn to Christianity and say "I knew that you were fake, no wonder we don't want anything to do with you!"

But before that happens I would like you to consider for a moment the words of God as His Son died for you and for me. I know I joke a lot and will again but only because of 7 words spoken by Christ dying on a wooden cross some 2000 years ago,

"He touched me"

Carlyle called language the garment of thought

... "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."
(Mathew 12:32) The Bible

The Bible says further

"To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:" Ecclesiastes 3

... A time to keep silence, And a time to speak

On one occasion the Chief priests sent officers to arrest Him. Instead of arresting Him they were arrested by what He said! His speech was as no other. Who are we writing about? Jesus Christ!

He said "The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. {the Gospel of John Chapter 6 verse 63} "But there are some of you who do not believe."

The utterances of Christ Jesus at a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, were 7 in number...

[Seven.  Denotes spiritual perfection. It is the number or hall-mark of the Holy Spirit's work. He is the Author of God's Word, and seven is stamped on it as the water-mark is seen in the manufacture of paper. He is the Author and Giver of life; and seven is the number which regulates every period of Incubation and Gestation, in insects, birds, animals, and man. ]

Seven in Scripture suggest the idea of completeness so we can read in these seven sayings from the cross the interpretation of the Love of God for His creation.

The last words of some of the world's greatest men and women have been recorded in books, engraved on marble slabs and monuments.

But the words that have been preserved for us, the seven sayings of the Son of God from the cross stand uniquely preeminent.
As He spoke from Golgotha's brow He used sublime and holy words as the 'garment of His thoughts.'

Of these 7 words 3 were addressed to God the Father and 4 were addressed to men.

Let us look and read these 7 sayings as 7 windows from which we are able to look into the very heart and mind of God!

1. First Let's consider what The Scriptures have to say about The nature of His death and Who He was.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. [ Gospel of John Chapter 1 verse 1 and 14]

Joseph Heart wrote:

The Scriptures and the Word
Bear one tremendous name,
The Living and the Written Word
In all things are the same.

"I HAVE GIVEN THEM THY WORD"
is the all-sufficient assurance of the Lord Jesus Christ, speaking to the Father. He did not say I have given them Aids to devotion. He did not say I have given them a Hymn-book, or I have given them thy Word AND something else.

He did not give anything instead of, or in addition to, that Word.

And that being so, we are assured that the Word which He gave is all-sufficient, in itself, to accomplish all the purposes of God.

The Word that is preached makes known the Written Word; the Word that is written makes known Christ the Living Word; and Christ makes known God our Father.

2. Second, The Apostle Paul tells us in the book of Colossians Chapter 2 verse 9 "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily"

The Fullness of the Godhead bodily ( absolute Godhead, full Deity the pleroma {Greek for fullness} the totality - the sum total of Deity God in a man

Note: and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.[Colossians Chapter 2 verse 10]

Christ in you and you are in Christ if.... Let us go on and ask the question was Christ any less God in His Death than His life? And we can find our answer in the

Book of 2 Corinthians Chapter 5 verse 18-19 tells us, "Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses [a lapse or deviation from truth and uprightness ] to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation".'[adjustment of a difference, reconciliation, restoration to favor ]

Imagine for a moment that you are in that crowd watching men being put to death as common criminals. One who did nothing but going against the established rule of the day but went about doing good! Consider if you will His 7 last words.

Think for a moment that Jesus called the "Christ" had to die Matthew chapter 16 verse 21 says, "From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day."

And again in the book of Mark Chapter 18 verse 31 we read the same. Doctor Luke also chimes in and says:

So they answered and said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again."

He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."

And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, "John Chapter 3 verse 14

The death of Jesus the Christ was a divine imperative. He must die! The tine was Passover when all good Hebrews would celebrate the escape from the bonadage of their Masters!

[The name "Pesach" (PAY-sahch, with a "ch" as in the Scottich "loch") comes from the Hebrew root Peh-Samech-Chet, meaning to pass through, to pass over, to exempt or to spare. It refers to the fact that G-d "passed over" the houses of the Jews when he was slaying the firstborn of Egypt. In English, the holiday is known as Passover. "Pesach" is also the name of the sacrificial offering (a lamb) that was made in the Temple on this holiday. The holiday is also referred to as Chag he-Aviv, (the Spring Festival), Chag ha-Matzoth, (the Festival of Matzahs), and Z'man Cherutenu, (the Time of Our Freedom) (again, all with those Scottish "ch"s). And release to freedom!]

God chose that time to proclaim freedom not only from the bondage of men but from the god of this world [satan] The grip of sin was broken! No longer did man have to do evil he was free! Free at last to choose to do good! 

The First word Christ spoke was a prayer "Father..." He possessed that divine conscienceness of His eternal Sonship.

When faith is tempted to doubt that God is still dealing with us as a father, but rather that He is dealing with us as a judge.

His ministry began with a prayer Luke 3:21 "When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened." And now we see Him on the cross concluding His ministry.

For Christians a perfect example of a precious ministry The first words Gentle reader, tell you where His heart was. And mine as I pray for each of you each day... "Father...."

The second word tomorrow....

-Denis

Father,
I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong
and failing to do good,
I have sinned against you
whom I should love above all things.
I firmly intend, with your help,
to do penance, to sin no more,
and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.

Our Saviour Jesus Christ
suffered and died for us.