Our Lord and God Jesus preached perhaps the most important message at Christmastime. During The Feast of Dedication or Hanukkah which overlaps with Christmas, the celebration of Christmas didn’t start till Pope Juilus I (337-352 A.D.) made December 25th the Official day to Remember Christ’s Birth, our Lord Jesus Christ gave a promise to us his sheep (disciples):
“ [22] At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, [23] and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. [24] So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” [25] Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, [26] but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. [27] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. [30] I and the Father are one.” (John 10:22-30).
Christ made a promise that nothing, no demon of person or even yourself can pluck you out of His hand or His Father’s Hand (John 10:27-29). This promise reveals that God keeps us from falling away, He will find any wandering sheep and bring them back to his lap; that He is holding on to you, not you having to cling and hope you keep holding on to Him. Jesus proved that when He died for our sins on the cross that He did it when his disciples had no clarity on what was happening; that The Son of God was securing our salvation and eternal life with Him while His followers were scattered and uncertain what was transpiring. In the same way Jesus holds on to us, not leaving us to worry and try to chase Him down, no He pursues us! Just as He did on the cross and the empty tomb, He did that for us when we were enemies of God (Romans 5:10). Jesus is passionate for us, hence its called The Passion of Christ! He does not let us slip through His nail scarred hands, but clings to us! We have a God and Savior who seeks us, and will not let the torments of this world, or demons or people or anything snatch us away!, “What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31-39). That is a promise He made at Christmastime and Hanukkah! Believe it! And celebrate a God who pursues you, holds on to you, came for you, is passionate for you and loves you with an endless love, Amen.
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