In our day, there are many ways to communicate that don’t involve face to face, in-person contact. This can be a great blessing at Christmas if you have family members who cannot be present in person for family celebrations. In those cases, it is certainly better to have some kind of online video call than to have no contact whatsoever. Nevertheless, online video calls are not the same as having your loved one with you in person around the dinner table, opening gifts in the same living room, talking while you clean up the dishes. Gathering in person is always best.
And Christmas is proof of that fact. Jesus took on a real human body, became a man, and lived here with us for 33 years. He was present with people, healing, teaching, living the perfect life for them. He was crucified before their eyes, suffering the punishment for all their sins. He rose and appeared to them. He ascended to the right hand of the Father before their eyes. God was present with us human beings. He came to us in person to take on all our sins and pay for them.
And He still comes to us in person in churches all around the country this Sunday and every Christmas as the Good News of His death and resurrection is preached and as He forgives people for the wrongs they have done through the Christian Church. There He is present in person. After all, the Christian Church is called His body (see the Biblical book of Ephesians. 1:22-23). This body is not made up of people who never sin. It’s made up of people who know that they do wrong, keep receiving forgiveness and desire to live new lives by God’s power.
God came to us in person when God the Son became a man to live, suffer, die, and rise amongst us human beings. He gathers His people together around the person of His Son.
This Christmas, gather in person with the family of God around the person of Jesus Christ at a Christian church. It just isn’t the same to be apart from the Christ who came in person for you.
Rev. Daniel Burfiend
Ossian
