Manifested Through the Appearing

Articles

Doug Kashorek
12/16/24 - Bulletin Article

Last Sunday, we shopped in two local businesses that were decked out for the holidays. The first had dozens of artificial trees decorated with ornaments for sale. Only one had “incarnation” ornaments that depicted the biblical events associated with Jesus’ birth. The second store was so full that the narrow walkways made me “claus”-trophobic—though I saw only one shelf dedicated to God’s own Son sharing in our humanity (Hebrews 2:14 NIV). I asked a clerk how long it took them to decorate. She told me, “Every Tuesday since October.”

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it resists commercialization and secularism so well. Yes, there’s turkeys and football—but largely we haven’t lost the roots of giving thanks to God. Because the leeches of historical, cultural, and pagan influences have attached themselves so well to Jesus’ resurrection and birth stories, I’ve struggled with Easter and Christmas. Matthew and Luke’s accounts have been mined for celebrations at this time of year and then disregarded for more watered-down worldly interests. Mark skips over His entrance entirely.

John attaches it to Jesus’ deity and eternal nature through its necessity for us and ramifications of His appearing. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. … No one has ever seen God, the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known” (John 1:14-18). Truly the greatest gift we could celebrate, He is God to be our Savior and man to be our sacrifice.

Joseph was told the son born to him would “save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Later, Paul would tell Timothy in his second letter to him that God “saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus …” (1:9-10).

Merry Manifested Through the Appearing, everyone!