Christmas FOR

For.

English has some small words.

But small words can have big implications.

For.

Movement.

Gift.

Sacrifice.

Purpose and direction.

Christmas is the time of FOR: gifts for her, gifts for him, gifts for children. Christmas, the time we especially reflect on how much God is FOR us, that he gave his Son FOR us. The Son that lived every stage of life perfectly as a substitute FOR us.

But lift our eyes heavenward. Awaken from our dark and dreamless sleep, above the silent stars, above the dark streets of little Bethlehem, above our hopes and fears… Look above the Christmas wreaths, the ads on the radio, our lack or abundance of gifts, the court cases, financial burdens, desperate prayer pleas, the celebrations, the joy-filled anniversaries, the sweet memories of this year:

Heaven explodes. The morning stars together proclaim the holy birth. But this is just one infinitesimal moment in the great plan that the angels have been singing and proclaiming and probing into for years. This is just one stage in the heart-overflowing gift of the Father to the Son.

What God the Father does is FOR the Son. We are the Father’s gift to his Son, the Son’s bride. Redemption, Christmas, is the Father’s for the Son. We think of the doctrine of election and it can sound cold and distant. But yet, the Father choosing for his Son a Bride. We are chosen for him.

 The Father, Life, Source, Love Himself, Infinite, Abounding, Never-Ending pours out his heart in a gift for the Son to please the Son, crown the Son with glory, praise to the Son. Bride. So made in his own image, God created humans and world—a bride and kingdom for his Son. The greatest exaltation and joy and pomp of a wedding here—magnified in purity and splendor and lavish love.

We are a gift from the Father to the Son.

“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure” (Rev. 19:6b-8).

“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son” (Mat. 22:2).

But.

This mystery is great.

But more.

We are also Son's gift to Father—he will turn over all creation to his Father. We are a washed people for the Lord, saved to declare his praises (2 Peter 2:9-10).

…having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know….what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints… (Eph. 1:18).

Commenting on the Greek text, William Mounce says “But even more than that, we are his glorious inheritance. We have a guaranteed inheritance (1:14), but we are also His inheritance. He looks forward to us” (1). The Son’s joy in presenting us, FOR his Father, a gift of a holy and redeemed people.

Christmas is just a small moment of this great FOR. Incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension, redemption is not just FOR us, but FOR the Father, FOR the Son, FOR the Triune God of love, pouring out love to each other Person in the Godhead Three-In-One in Perfect Love and Communion.

We are caught up in this grand story of love, of FOR.

Yes, it speaks of our value—what value, knowing we are gift, Bride, People!

It speaks of assurance—it is so much not about us and so none of our works can tarry it. We will be redeemed, given, presented, washed, cleansed. We WILL be a holy People and a pure Bride. No power, nothing in us, can prevent the Father giving his Son a love gift and the Son giving his Father a love gift. Our assurance is based on the love of the Triune God FOR each other, as well as love FOR us.

But more than us—lift up our eyes beyond our dark and dim streets.

Awe.

Awe at the love-pouring-out Triune God.

No wonder Paul uses the word mystery to describe the gospel, the love of Christ for his church (see the verses here). Just take a minute and think of the vast, infinite love.

And it pours out FOR us too.

We are caught up in that perfect love.

And it changes us. It changes our situations. When we lift our eyes up from our dark and dreamless sleep and see that love, we are quickened. Thirst. How can we settle for these dim dreams in Bethlehem when the skies are awash in love? The dark streets are suddenly awash in love. Our nightmares and our deepest joys here are awash in love. We know that all is purposeful, part of what is going to be a Redeemed People for the Father, a Pure Bride for the Son. We know that all that happens is from the heart of a God who is Love and overflowing, abounding, source-generating, outflowing love.

And it changes us. It changes our character. When we see God’s heart, his character, we too become like that. We give. Seek to glorify, just as the Father in love seeks to glorify the Son and the Son in love seeks to glorify the Father and the Spirit in love seeks to glorify and…. We pour out as our Triune God does. We do for the other selflessly as our Triune God does. New purpose—we are FOR.

FOR.

NOTES

(1) William Mounce, “Do You Feel Like A Glorious Inheritance,” Zondervan Academic, accessed September 19, 2016, http://zondervanacademic.com/blog/do-you-feel-like-a-glorious-inheritance-eph-118-mondays-with-mounce/