Dear BPCWA worshipper, Uniquely this year (as occurs probably every few years), Christmas falls on a Sunday. So today, we commemorate two wondrous events together – the birth of Christ (Christmas), and the day that we spend every week celebrating – the resurrection of Christ (the Lord’s Day). Yes, while we know that Christ was not born on the 25^th December, but churches appointed a particular day of the year to remember His incarnation.

Let us remember Christ’s first coming. Though we don’t know the exact date, the birth of Christ must be an important event for Christians. We don’t celebrate it like we do a person’s birthday. Of much greater significance is that a day more than 2022 years ago, the Lord God Almighty, Creator of all mankind, condescendingly took on human flesh. Christ, who spoke the world into existence and who sustains the very universe “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil 2:6-8). This He did to redeem rebellious creatures. What a thought that the Infinite God should do that for me – isn’t God’s glorious act of love worthy of our commemorating? To be that substitute for me, my Saviour, the only begotten Son, had to take on human form. To be an acceptable substitute for me, Christ not only had to die and suffer on the cross – He had to live a perfect life and fulfill the law perfectly on my behalf. For thousands of years since the fall of all mankind in the garden of Eden, man had waited and waited for the coming of the promised One who would perfectly fulfill God’s promise of the woman’s seed that would give us the victory over the whole curse of sin that came upon us, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Ge 3:15). Without Christ, Satan had the victory. With Christ, Satan is overcome. Can you imagine if God had not fulfilled His promise of a Messiah? All the generations from Adam until the very end of the world would be hopelessly doomed to hell. We would be born to live through the miseries of earthly life in a world of sinful wickedness and leave this world eventually without any hope of relief at death. For after death, an infinitely greater torment of eternal punishment awaits us in hell. Is it any wonder then that the coming of Christ was an event “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you” (1 Pe 1:10)? As we hear the poignant melody of the Christmas hymn “O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem, unto your own and rescue them! From depths of hell your people save, and give them victory o’er the grave”, let us sing it remembering that we are the people that our Emmanuel came to save. While so many Old Testament saints in the past died never having seen that day as they looked forward to Christ’s coming, how grateful we should be that we are set to live in times when that great promise has been realised and look backward on Christ. Let us never forget that great privilege that we have – that God should come and dwell with sinful man to save man who spurned Him! Let us fall on our knees this Christmas and praise Him, my Lamb, my King, and my Saviour – “O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!”

Let us prepare for Christ’s second coming. As we come to the close of our 2022 church theme on being prepared for Christ’s second coming, I felt that is apt to also remind ourselves about it as we celebrate Christ’s first coming. This Son of God who was born to die an agonising death rose from the dead on the Lord’s Day. Each Sunday, we commemorate the Christian sabbath, the day on which Christ resurrected after His birth, life, and death. Every Lord’s Day, we are reminded of the resurrection prophecy fulfilled. This Christmas, let us also be stirred to live in anticipation of the next yet unfulfilled prophecy which shall certainly be fulfilled in God’s own perfect but yet unknown timing. “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power” (Acts 1:7). As we end off this year with the climax of the last Sunday of the year also being Christmas and our 2022 church theme of “Watching for the Lord’s Return”, we must earnestly prepare for His return. Let us not merely be amazed as the disciples of old who were asked, “why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11). While Christ tarries, we must continue to be busy in the Lord’s work as we live in a world of sinful wickedness. Today, we as Christians have yet a twofold unfinished work. The work of preparing ourselves, our families, and one another for our Saviour’s return. As we close off the year’s theme – are you ready for His return? If He tarries, will you continue to be ready? But we still have yet another commission that we must give an account of when He comes. We must evangelise “while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” (Jn 9:4). This is the Great Commission to prepare the sinners around us for Christ’s second coming. When He returns, there is no turning back, no time for regrets. Let us be earnest in His work to prepare others for His coming. The hymn “O Holy Night” captures well for us this reminder,

O day of joy when in eternal splendor, He shall return in His glory to reign

When ev’ry tongue due raise to Him shall render, His pow’r and

might to all nations proclaim!

Yours in our Lord’s service,
Pastor