On the way to Christmas | 2025 #4

We have now entered the final week of Advent. Last Sunday, December 21, was the fourth Sunday of Advent. What does that mean? Advent is a period of about four weeks that precedes Christmas. The word comes from adventus, Latin for “coming”.

In the Bible, the Book of God, much is written about the coming of Jesus to earth. His coming was foretold by prophets. The famous musical piece 'The Messiah' by G.F. Handel is about this. The composer looks beyond Jesus’ birth, beyond Christmas. He has texts from the Old Testament sung in which it is predicted that Jesus will suffer greatly. At Christmas, the shadow of the cross already falls over the manger. God became Man to bear the sins and to bring sinful people back to God. Handel quotes the prophet Isaiah, from chapters 50 and 53:

‘He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. (Isaiah 53, v.3); “He gave his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: he hid not his face from shame and spitting.” (Isaiah 50, v.6)

‘Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him;’ (Isaiah 53, vv.4–5)

‘And with his stripes we are healed.’ (Isaiah 53, v.5)
‘He was despised, and the most unworthy among men, a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with sickness; (Isaiah 53:3a) ‘I gave my back to those who strike me, and my cheeks to those who pluck out the hair; I did not hide my face from shame and spitting.’ (Isaiah 50:6)

‘Surely, He has taken our sicknesses upon Himself, and He has carried our sorrows; ... But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,’ (Isaiah 53:4a and 5a)

‘and by His stripes we are healed.’ (Isaiah 53:5b)

Jesus came to earth to restore the relationship with God that we humans have disturbed. He lived a life without any sin. Everything He did, everything He said, and everything He thought was good. That is impossible for us. But Jesus is God, and God is good and perfect.

Jesus not only had to live perfectly in our place, but also bear the punishment for sin. He did this for all those who flee to Him for forgiveness and salvation. He, God’s Son, was willing to be despised in their place. He became a Man of sorrows. How much He suffered on earth! He was also subject to pain and diseases. He was scourged and beaten before He was led away to the cross. He was mocked and spat upon. Not because He was bad, but because of sin. Isaiah says He was wounded for our transgressions. And He was crushed for our iniquities, all our sins. The punishment for sin was upon Him. That is why He was forsaken by God, His blood dripped onto the earth, and He died on the cross. In this way, He obtained peace. For whom? For everyone? For all those who need the blood of Jesus for their sins. Because:

‘the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.’ 1 John 1:7b

Confess your sins to God and ask for forgiveness on the basis of the blood of Jesus!

The musical piece ‘The Messiah’ ends with a praise to God: ‘Hallelujah’, which means ‘Praise the Lord’. It is a call to all creation to praise God, the Lord. It looks beyond the suffering of Jesus and the time this world exists, to the time when the Lord God Almighty will reign forever.

Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Hallelujah!
The kingdom of this world; is become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ.
And He shall reign forever and ever. Hallelujah!
King of kings and Lord of lords forever and ever. Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! For the Lord God Almighty reigns. Hallelujah!
The kingdom of this world; has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ.
And He shall reign forever. Hallelujah!
King of kings and Lord of lords. Hallelujah!

Wishing you a blessed Christmas!

Watch the explanation video about Christmas here! 

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