I love the Christmas carol, Silent Night, because of how its serenity and dignity envelope my soul. Peacefulness never goes out of style; sometimes, it’s best to take a step back, listen, and allow the scene of the new-born Savior to captivate our hearts.
Today, Christmas is anything but silent. Whether they distort or honor the message, thousands of movies, TV shows, ads, and songs get the word out.
And let’s not overlook the four gospels for they, too, share the hope of the season in their unique ways.
The apostle John takes the broadest approach. He reveals that Jesus is both distinct from and identical to God Himself.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” – John 1:1
Christmas displays the mystery and the miracle of the incarnation; the divine taking on human form.
“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14
Christmas communicates: John identifies Jesus as the very Word of God.
Matthew approaches the birth of Christ from the perspective of His stepfather Joseph. He cannot bring Jesus into the world, but through the directions of angels, he can care for the woman who does and protect his young family.
Christmas communicates: Joseph heard and he obeyed.
Luke focuses on Mary, the one on whom God bestowed the privilege of giving birth to the Messiah. Accepting the possibility of a miracle which threatened her reputation, she persevered through trials and and travels. And so Jesus came to be born in Bethlehem.
Christmas communicates: Mary submitted to the will of God. As a result, many declared her and her Son blessed of the Lord.
Mark makes no reference to Christmas. Beginning his gospel with the ministry of John the Baptist, he moves right into the baptism of Christ and His temptations in the wilderness. Then, on to kingdom business!
About Christmas, Mark’s is the silent gospel.
Or is it?
The gospel of Mark is all about action. One of his favorite words is “immediately.” Jesus sprints from one event to another–healing here, speaking there, and going on to the next encounter. Christ serves the outcasts and the needy; He challenges the smug and the powerful. He fights with evil and wins.
Jesus’ ministry is so provocative that it gets Him arrested, tried, and crucified. But as Christ defeated all the enemies of humanity–sin, sickness, oppression–so the Lord vanquished death itself. This is the good news!
Mark may not describe the details of Jesus’ birth, but he stresses the purpose of the incarnation. Jesus was born to be our Savior. He served us to the point of giving up His life and rose again to vanquish everything that degrades and cheapens our lives.
So allow the story of Christmas to warm your heart. Recount with joy all the wonders of that day. But remember why Jesus came to us. Listen to the silence of Mark’s gospel about the first Advent. Let it direct your attention to the purpose of His arrival into our world, where sinners need forgiveness, the sick need healing, and everyone needs hope.
Hear the gospel, even in silent testimony.
Merry Christmas!
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