Guess what? Jesus still came

The last couple of weeks have been unusual, and somewhat disappointing for our family, because this is the Advent in Christmas season. When we returned to Alaska from our trip to Florida we had a full slate of plans laid out as part of our Advent and Christmas observance. I was going to preach at St. John on Sunday, December 6, and I was to conduct a funeral in Sterling on December 12. I also planned to teach Saturday confirmation classes. Kathy planned going back to work at the hospital. We would see family, buy Christmas gifts, and attend worship, all in preparation for our Christmas celebration. Last year we returned from Germany on December 10 and still accomplished all our business. Surely, this year, returning December 4, we could enjoy tackling all these tasks and accomplishing these opportunities.

But, perhaps you know that all those plans changed with Kathy’s positive test for coronavirus. Her symptoms have not been too bad, but for a while she daily faced headaches, chills, body aches, and fatigue. Even though my test results were negative, I could not go out in public until I waited the period we were told by the state public health nurse, and until I was tested again, and received a negative test result. Kathy and I have eaten in separate rooms, we have slept in separate beds, and we wore masks in our own home around one another. I didn’t preach on December 6. I did not conduct the funeral on December 12, though we did find some alternative solutions. And while I was freed from quarantine later on Saturday, December 12, Kathy is not free until the afternoon of December 16. We haven’t seen our grandkids, except by computer. We have not bought Christmas presents. All our plans changed. All of this is disappointing.

But, I heard something yesterday from my friend, Eva Cohnen-Brown which struck my heart of faith. Eva quoted a poem written by a friend of hers during a rough patch of life. “You know what? In spite of all the disappointments, Jesus Still Came!” Yes, the Son of God did leave heaven and came to this world because He loves us. He came to bring love from the Creator and Lord of All. Jesus came in humility, bringing grace to a world stuck in selfishness, greed, hatred, sin, and death. Jesus came because we are sinners who cannot save ourselves. The disappointments Kathy and I faced are small. But in those disappointments, “Jesus Still Came.”

We are now receiving Christmas cards from others in the mail which include many newsy letters of family happenings. These letters contain much good news, but also disappointments in the lives of friends and family. One of our friends, a pastor in Kansas, has developed dementia. His wife writes that she visits him in the Veterans home but, because of COVID, has to talk through a window. He is already confused and this confuses him more. What sad news about a good friend! Another person wrote to us about the divorce of her son whom I baptized, and about the custody struggles he has faced. Still another good friend we saw in February wrote that he had contracted a pretty serious case of COVID in November. These disappointments far outstrip the minor inconveniences Kathy and I faced. But you know what? “Jesus Still Came!!”

When Jesus was born this was a low point in the history of the people of Israel. The country had been conquered and was occupied by Roman soldiers. The local reigning king was a cruel despot. Many of the religious leaders were corrupt and self-serving. God’s people were, in Jesus’ words, like “sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)

The truth is, Jesus did not just come to bring God’s righteousness and justice, to bring God’s love and mercy, to bring God’s forgiveness and salvation, in spite of the sin and the problems of the world. Jesus came because of the sin and death that infect all our lives. Perhaps Galatians 4 says it best. “4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5) The words of Titus 3 give us another picture of God’s Christmas grace in the undeserved gift of Jesus. “3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:3-7) Our sins have led to the disappointments, troubles, and death in our lives. But, because we cannot help ourselves, “Jesus Still Came!”

Our world seems to be a mess right now. People are turning from God, from His wisdom and love. Our country and the nations of the world are divided and at odds with each other. The coronavirus has hurt many, especially the poor and marginalized. I am reading the book of Revelation now in my daily devotions and wonder how much of today’s news stories are fulfillments of the Revelation prophecies. But, in our messed-up world, where we are our own worst enemies, “Jesus Still Came!!” Into a world of sin and death Jesus brings grace and salvation, joy and hope. He gives us forgiveness and love because we need it. He gives us forgiveness and love so that we can share that grace of God with others, and so we can make a Christmas difference in our troubled world, and in the lives of those around us.

I pray for each of you that you know the Christmas truth that Jesus, the Son of God, did indeed come that first Christmas. I pray this Christmas truth gives you hope and joy and peace this year, in spite of any disappointments you face. I pray the Christmas gift of Jesus’ forgiveness and love help you to share that grace and love with others. Because in the midst of all our own failures and all our disappointments, “Jesus Still Came!” And that is real reason to say, “MERRY CHRISTMAS!”