We preach Jesus.
Good news began in a manger.
Christmas is not possible without Jesus. Our Truth in Two explains why (full text below).
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Pictures: Josh Collingwood, Pond5
FULL TEXT
Celsus was a harsh critic of Christian message in the second century. Being a man of high Roman status, he looked down on Christianity as an appeal to the common person. Celsus made these claims, [quote] “Let no cultured, wise or sensible person draw near [to Christ], only those who are ignorant or foolish, let them come boldly!” Celsus continues, “We see Christians in their own houses as the most uneducated and vulgar persons.” Celsus also said Christians were “like a swarm of bats, or ants in their nest, or frogs in a swamp, or worms in the mud.” [end quote]
Attacks on Christians and our belief have not changed from the first to the twenty-first century. But then I think of Paul’s line in 1 Corinthian 1:21, “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through its own wisdom, it pleased God to save those who believe in Jesus through the foolishness of preaching.” What is “preaching”? To preach the good news of the gospel of Christ means both the act of telling and the content of what is being told.
And what is the content of our preaching? Well, counter to the Roman viewpoint of the day, only Caesar could bring “good news,” the Roman perspective on peace and safety. So, when the Romans heard that Christians were preaching “good news,” they believed the message of the gospel was the message of insurrection against Rome. In one sense, Rome did have something to fear from Jesus. Isaiah did prophecy, “And the government shall be upon His shoulders.”
During the Christmas season, Christians do participate in the folly of preaching. We proclaim that there will come a day when the baby born in Bethlehem will return as The King of Glory. And remembering the words of Celsus, the critic of Christianity, all of us ‘worms’ will reign then, with our King, Jesus. For Truth in Two, this is Dr. Mark Eckel, president of the Comenius Institute, personally wishing everyone a blessed Christmas, only made possible, by Jesus.