My dear readers,

(Excerpt from RPG "The Christmas Story" Oct – Dec 1997, Dec 7 / Dec 8 / Dec 21 ).

1. Favour with God (Isa 7:14)

Girls today seek the favour of men. This is their common ambition and failing, even among Christian girls. For many a young upcoming lassie, it has been their undoing. To you, young ladies, let me say this: Arise! "The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness …" (Rom 13:12-13). Put an end to all lustful, sexy and carnal activities, but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. Strive to please Him, not men! Let me quote from Horatius Bonar’s classic hymn:

Go labour on; ’tis not for naught;

Thy earthly loss is heavenly gain;

Men heed thee, love thee, praise thee not;

The Master praises, what are men?

Nazareth lay on the trade route from Capernaum to the sea with many caravans and traders frequenting the town. It would have been fashionable for young girls to visit the night spots and to get a taste of high and fast living. Some would have joined in the loose lifestyle of the day, as they do today. Christian girls, seek not the favour of men! The only thing that matters is favour with God. Strive for His approval; strive at all costs to guard your virtue.

Mary is your best example. She guarded her virtue. She cherished her chastity. She treasured most of all the favour of God. She was a virgin: Luke said so, she herself confessed it, the angel Gabriel confirmed it. Seven hundred years earlier the prophet Isaiah prophesied it. The sinless, holy Son of God was to come to earth through a human mother. God chose a godly, virtuous and chaste maiden, the virgin Mary. That was God’s plan.

Now there are Churchmen and traitors to the Church of Jesus Christ who have sold their souls to the Devil. These no longer believe in Jesus as the Son of God. They do not believe that Jesus was any more than a mere man. Therefore they deny His virgin birth and His resurrection. The same Churchmen do not believe in chastity and holy living. Two of the most notorious are bishops of the Church of England.

But God is true, men are liars. Let all who love the Lord Jesus and seek favour with God, not men.

2. The Mary of Scripture (1 Sam 2:1-10)

What role does Mary play in the Drama of Redemption? What place should she have in the Church? We ask these questions to set us thinking. In some churches today she is accorded a place of honour exceeding that of Christ, and certainly out of all proportion to her place in Scripture. Our one and only ground of faith and practice is God’s infallible Word, not the traditions of men or the voice of the church. Therefore, to the Scripture we must resort.

What does Matthew’s nativity story tell us about Mary?

(a) Mary was a virgin at the time the story opened. When the angel Gabriel visited her she was a chaste maiden. She was startled by the suggestion of the angel that she was going to have a baby. She expressed her fears frankly. Within her she wondered, "What will Joseph and others think of me, pregnant out of wedlock!"

(b) Mary’s words to Gabriel in Luke 1:38 are significant: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord." Later when she visited her cousin Elisabeth she said, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden ..." (Luke 1:46-48).

From the above account we draw certain Scriptural conclusions:

a) Mary was the child of ordinary Jewish parents, conceived and born a sinner. Like any child of Adam, she was in need of salvation. She admitted this in her words of praise, acknowledging "God my Saviour" (Luke 1:47). Scripture gives no authority or support for the dogma of the "Immaculate Conception" (meaning that Mary was conceived without original sin), or for the title "Mother of God" accorded to Mary (who confessed herself to be "handmaid of the Lord").

b) Mary did not remain a perpetual virgin as falsely taught by some. Scripture records that after the birth of Jesus, Joseph and Mary lived as normal man and wife (Matt 1:25) and had other children (Matt 13:55-56). While we understand from Scripture that Mary had rare virtues, nowhere does it give any warrant for Mary to be venerated, prayed to, or worshipped. Let Mary be Mary!

3. Tidings of great joy (Luke 2:8-14)

For 4,000 years the world groaned under the curse brought on by the fall. "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain until now for...the redemption..." (Rom 8:22-23). The whole creation waiting for one Man, the promised "seed of woman" who should bruise the serpent’s head (Gen 3:15). The waiting was not in vain.

"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law" (Gal 4:4). At last the fulness of the time was come! The virgin-born Son of God was come to take away the curse; to break the evil power; to shatter Satan’s prison house and set the captives free. To all the world lying under the curse, the Good News must be made known!

God’s heavenly messenger was sent, not to the highest courts in Jerusalem; not to the chief priests and temple rulers, but to men of lowly estate. To certain poor shepherds tending their sheep in the Judaean hills at night came the glad news. In dazzling brilliance, the angel of the Lord proclaimed "tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people" (Luke 2:10). God’s salvation was come, not just to Israel, but to all. Christ the Saviour is born!

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a great celestial choir, singing: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14). The greatest glory is to God the Father because the Son is come to do His will and finish His work (John 17:4), the work of redemption through His death on the cross. "…in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh ... for He is our peace …" (Eph 2:13-14).

Peace on earth, good will towards men becomes a reality by the blood of Christ. Let us, with the angels, declare the tidings of great joy to all people.

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service,

Dr SH Tow, Sr Pastor