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The world awaits the coming of the servant Messiah
By Francis Vethanayagam
It has been a common saying, that Christmas comes, but once a year and when it comes it brings good cheer. Undoubtedly it is a joyous and cheerful occasion, much awaited by both young and old. This had been so since the first Christmas. But sadly how many realise the real significance and meaning of this great and unique event, which took place over two thousand years ago.

Those who witnessed this glorious event at that time, did not understand the meaning and importance of the Messiah and His earthly Mission. The Jews and others took Him to be a person sent by God to establish a kingdom of His own on earth, but little did they know that it was to be the Messiah, none other than Jesus Christ the Saviour of all mankind and the world, who was to take the form of man coming into this World to redeem mankind from sin, bring salvation, give comfort for the grief stricken, uplift the poor, the suffering and the down trodden and the marginalised.

The promised Messiah was to provide a serving Mission on Earth and was rightly called the 'Servant Messiah'.

His Mission was to serve.
He preached and taught the word of His heavenly Father to the believers and un-believers. He cured the sick, gave sight to the blind, made the lame and crippled walk and even brought the dead back to life among the numerous other miracles.

He accomplished His mission to the satisfaction of His Father and scarified His life by dying on the cross and taking on Himself the penalty for human sin, a sacrifice unparalleled in the history of mankind. Thus His birth, suffering, death and resurrection shook the very foundation of the earth, which will remain a mystery for all time.

The Kingdom Christ established on earth was one of peace, goodwill, justice, repentance and forgiveness, which was to be bestowed by His life, death and resurrection. For He was to be the way, the truth and life and He will come again to judge the living and the dead. Hence Christmas should be a period of soul searching, repentance, turning away from sin and looking towards God. It should be remembered that Christ was born to submit our lives to His will.

So let Jesus be in our Christmas and thereafter be prepared for His second coming in glory, for which the first Christmas, this Christmas and the others to follow are only a prelude. Jesus is no longer the babe of Bethlehem, He is a living Saviour who can be experienced in our daily lives now and forever. It is He and He alone, who could save man from his lost condition and strengthen his relationship with God, his neighbour and the world around.

Therefore peace, love, tolerance, concern, caring and sharing with the poor and needy should be the underlying theme of Christianity. We should not forget that Christ was closer to the poor, than the rich. This thought and reflection would enable us to experience the real significance and spiritual joy of the birth of Christ.

The birth of the servant Messiah was to be the beginning of a new human life, as well as the beginning of a new life for the entire human race in Christ. In other words it means peace with God, with whom Christ has reconciled us and more so inward peace with ourselves, or consciences and our hearts. This is the spiritual outlook of this unique event called Christmas, which should surpass the material aspect.

Are we satisfied with what is being done or what has been done? For caring and sharing are an integral aspect of Christian life. God shared His only Son with us, hence caring and sharing should be part and parcel of our lives, not only during Christmas. May the birth of the Prince of Peace and the true significance and spirit of Christmas be with you now and forever.

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