This Christmas the incarnation of the Son of God has been
placed firmly alongside the cross of Christ in my mind. I have found it hard to
separate the two. I can’t sing of the glorious wonder of the incarnation and
the hope that brings to the world without feeling deep in my bones the
suffering to come upon the cross.
I have been struck by the words of Simeon to Mary when she
and Joseph brought Jesus to Jerusalem. This righteous, devout man, who had been
waiting for the consolation of Israel, blessed Mary and Joseph and said to Mary:
“This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and
to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts
will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too”
(Luke 2:34-35).
I can’t begin to imagine how Mary must have felt to hear
these words. Up until this moment, the announcement of the angelic messenger to
her has been of the victorious reign of Christ (Luke 1:32-33). When the
shepherds visited to worship at the birth of Christ, they must also have shared with Mary the
uplifting message the angels gave them (Luke 2:10-14). A theology of glory
could arguably have taken root in her mind.
Now Simeon’s words introduce her to the theology of the
cross.
No other book has made a greater impact on me in 2011 than Michael
Horton’s A Place for Weakness. An online book discussion helped me to really grasp
the difference between the theology of glory and the theology of the cross –
the difference between looking for God “in powerful places; in health, wealth
and happiness; in perfect families and prosperous nations” - but God “is truly to be found in the weak
things of the world” (p. 37). And no greater place than at the cross, where the
death of Christ must have seemed completely irreconcilable with the belief in
the never-ending reign of Christ on David’s throne – yet it is precisely at
this point, as Mary watched her Son die and felt that sword piercing her own
soul too, that victory over sin and death was being won.
“God nowhere promises us temporal prosperity, but the way he
has redeemed us makes all of our trials cruciform, that is, shaped not by the
circumstances themselves but by the suffering and victory of Christ” (p.47). As a family, we have experienced some trials
over this Christmas period – yet through it all, the promise of Christ has held
sway over our hearts: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has
not overcome it” (John 1:5) for at Christmas we remember and celebrate that “the
true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world” (John
1:9). “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living
in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isa 9:2).
We continue to live in a land of deep darkness, a land that
continues to feel the terrible effects of sin, but to those of us who believe,
who now see the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Christ, neither sin nor death has the last word, for:
“Thanks be to God! He
gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”
(1 Cor 15:57).
"The people that walked in darkness" from Handel's Messiah
"The people that walked in darkness" from Handel's Messiah
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