Charity No. 1202973
The birth of Jesus is an event that has divided history (we mark time by how many years it's been since his birth and we date things in the ancient word by how many years BC (before Christ) they happened). Jesus' life, and what he said about himself, has divided not just history but 2,000 years of opinion as well...people have loved and hated him. Wars have been fought in his name and, equally, huge amounts of humanitarian work have been done in his name. But who was he, really?
Author Michael Morpurgo says this about the Christmas story: "I think children should know these stories. They’re part of who we are, and we live in a country which has been Christian for hundreds of years. You don’t have to say to children: ‘Thou shalt believe all this …’ You let them make up their minds. But if you don’t know the story, you can’t make up your mind."
Author CS Lewis (who wrote the Narnia books), said that the claims of Jesus, if false, are of no importance but, if true, are of ultimate importance!
The birth of Jesus was marvelous, miraculous, amazing and astonishing. But it wasn't as marvelous as the life he lived when he grew up. It wasn't anywhere near as miraculous as the things that history says he did. It wasn't as amazing as the things people heard him say and teach. And it wasn't anywhere near as astonishing as who Jesus claimed to be...none other than God himself in human form. God in a bod. God living as a person - living a life that was witnessed by, and recorded on the pages of, human history.
Christmas, in church, is a time of joy and celebration...it's also a time when we have lots of visitors who come to church because they sense that Christmas is (or ought to be), about more than just decorations, presents and food. If you would like to join us for one of our Christmas services then we would love to see you. There's always a warm welcome, and often mince pies too!!
Why not check out this short video as an introduction to the questions raised by the central character in the Christmas story...Jesus: