As Christmas approaches yet again, my mind has been pondering afresh the beauty and mystery of the incarnation. I am mindful that the Gospel is a divine enterprise rooted in the love of God for His glory alone. I am humbled that God engaged in the missional work of sending Christ to pay for the debt of my sin. I am amazed that the Son of God “became a servant” in the incarnation “so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy” (Romans 15:8-9).
Christmas is a beautiful demonstration of God bringing the good news that the “root of Jesse” has appeared to make us “full…with all joy and peace” (Romans 15:12-13). Paul borrows from the prophet Isaiah to aptly describe the incarnation and subsequent work of Christ as “good news” (Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15). The good news is not just good news, but great news! It is almost too good to be true. Usually when something in our world seems too good to be true, it is. Not so the gospel! This beautiful news is true and incredible!
I wonder what it would feel like to receive a personal invitation from the most powerful person on the planet asking us to join his initiative. What would it take for him to convince us to join the project? One arresting facet of the good news of Christmas is that God asks us to partner with Him in sharing it. He calls us to share in the beauty of the good news: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news” (10:15). God has called us to adorn the beauty of the gospel upon our lives, talents, and ministries so that we may be the feet that take it to the lost.
I recently was privileged to participate with Deo Cantamus in the reprise of Dr. Josh Bauder’s oratorio, Tyndale. This marvelous work recounted the sacrificial work of William Tyndale as he dedicated his life to translating the Word of God into the language of the hoi polloi. Josh skillfully commenced this work with a chorus echoing the words “how beautiful” as Tyndale was led to his death. The picture is still vivid in my mind. As we embrace another holiday season, may the beauty of the good news adorn our feet as we celebrate the incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension, and imminent return of our beautiful Christ.