PASTORAL LETTER - December 1998

My Dear Friends,

"But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman,

born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the

full rights of sons." - Galatians 4:4f [NIV]

Advent is a season of preparation and anticipation. It is a time of looking forward. Any home with young children in it usually has an Advent Calendar on display, and at some stage every day the appropriate door is opened. The excitement mounts. "How many sleeps till Christmas?" is the often repeated question. The countdown is running. It almost seems that no matter how resolutely we resist the pressures of the season we get caught up in it all - the increasing traffic, the crowded shopping malls, the frantic busyness of preparations, of arrangements, of lists, of gift-getting , of writing and posting greeting cards. Finally, when Christmas comes at last we are nearly too exhausted to enjoy it! It seems worse somehow in our Southern Cross Christmas because it is also the end of the school year and the summer holiday season!

Yet we need time to pause, to reflect on the truest meaning of the season. We need opportunity to think through the meaning and significance of Christmas in order to find the space for the peace , grace and reality of the Christmas message to minister to us.

* 1. "When the time had fully come . . .": It signifies "just at the right time" - not too soon, not too late, but at the right moment. It almost echoes the concept of "kairos" - the God-appointed, God-anointed time. As the Scriptures declare God has an eternal purpose and plan in operation The Old Testament promises, pronouncements and prophecies would be fulfilled. The time was right - the Roman Empire brought an almost unparalleled time of peace and stability to the known world. The great Roman roads permitted easier travel. Due to travel and trade in addition to local languages or dialects most people spoke or understood a form of Greek - the Koine of the New Testament, and of the Septuagint. Yes, indeed, it was the right time, the appointed time. Everything was prepared and ready for the coming of Messiah, and the circumstances were right for the spreading of the Good News of Jesus. Within a generation of the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus, the message of the Gospel had spread to every corner of the known world. The message and the missionaries had truly "turned the world upside down".

* 2. "God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law . . .": Here is the heart of the Incarnation. As John put it in his Gospel, "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us . . .and we beheld his glory . . . full of grace and truth". The familiar description of the shepherds out on the Bethlehem hillsides watching over their flocks in the starry night. How stunning was the vision granted them! How overwhelming the glory shining all around them! What message did they expect the angels to bring? Surely not the one they heard - about a baby born in a stable, cradled in a manger, born to be the Saviour of the world.

Startling as it may sound to our ears, while the struggle in our modern world is for people to acknowledge the divinity of Jesus, in the ancient world of the first generations of the Church, the struggle was for recognition of the true humanity of Jesus. The Greek view of the gods was that they were above all the pains, stresses and struggles of our human existence - feeling nothing, indifferent to the human condition. The New Testament bears uniform witness to something very different both in terms of the Father-heart of God and of the incarnate Son. Jesus is humanly tired after exertion or travel. He experiences temptation just as we do - yet without succumbing to its blandishments. He rejoices in human companionship and participates in a wedding celebration. He weeps by the tomb of his friend Lazarus. He is thirsty in the heat of the day. We are assured that the ascended, glorified Lord, as our great Priest in heaven, is touched and affected by our infirmities, weaknesses and needs and will supply grace to help in our distress. The New Testament affirms the reality of the human Jesus - and while for us the doctrine of the two natures of Christ is a great enigma as we grapple with how it can all fit together - we rejoice in the assurance and comfort this particular witness affords.

* 3. "God sent his Son . . . to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons . . .": The eternal purpose of the Father thus becomes fully clear. Not simply Incarnation but Redemption and Salvation is the great goal. His message was of the Kingdom of God - the inbreaking of God's purpose and reign into the sin-smitten, sin-shattered world of humankind. His teaching was about the blessedness of the life God offers in the Kingdom, how desirable it was - like a treasure hidden in a field and discovered with great delight, and it should have priority over everything else. His life and deeds were in fact signs of the Kingdom and its power to heal, satisfy, restore and bless. This great cosmic plan included the Cross, which did not come about because of the unbelief of the Jewish people, the betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, or the cowardice of Pilate and the conniving of the religious establishment - "but by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God". This was the way God meant it. By means of the Cross, the blessed exchange was accomplished whereby we could exchange the righteousness of Christ for our sins. Thus we are brought into the Kingdom of God. We are not second class citizens or resident aliens of the Kingdom of God - but the people who belong there, tangata whenua. To change the figure we are brought into God's family - not on sufferance or to be "put up with" - but as those who have "the full rights of sons" - joint-heirs with Christ our elder Brother. The sign and pledge of all this is the indwelling Holy Spirit who assures us we belong to God, who transforms us more and more into the likeness of Jesus, who equips us for kingdom-service in the church and in the world, and who assures us of the life to come in the fullness of the consummated Kingdom of glory. No half measures with God! It is secured for us in Christ, by way of the manger in Bethlehem, and the Cross on Calvary and the heavenly mercy seat to the Eternal Throne where we shall see his face and his servants shall serve Him.

In the increasing rush and bustle of these coming weeks, give yourself some time out - to be still, to reflect on the true meaning of the reason for the season. God bless you all this Christmas and give you the sense of his presence in the coming year.

Yours very sincerely,

J O EVANS