December 21, 2023 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Ted N.C. Wilson, President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Ted Wilson (TW): Greetings, friends! As we come to the end of another year our thoughts turn to the greatest gift ever given—Jesus Christ. While it is true that we do not know exactly when Jesus was born, we are assured that, as prophecy foretold, He came to this earth as a babe, lived a life filled with a heaven-sent purpose, died and rose again and is now ministering on our behalf in the heavenly sanctuary. And soon, He will come again to take us home!
Nancy Wilson (NW): We read in 2 Corinthians 5:19 “that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (NIV).
TW: What a promise-packed verse this is! God was in Christ, reconciling us to Himself. Here we have an amazing picture of the plan of salvation–a picture of a God who takes the initiative to restore the relationship that He once had with human beings, a loss keenly felt when human beings chose to separate themselves from their Creator.
NW: Imagine that night, so long ago, in the hillside town of Bethlehem. A baby is born—not in a comfortable bed, but in a barn—a stable, surrounded by creatures He Himself had made. Lying in the manger, He appeared to be just another infant born into the humble life of a small Jewish family. And yet amazingly, He was both fully human, and fully divine.
TW: We see God in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself through the helplessness of an infant; through the innocence of a child; by the faithfulness of a young carpenter; through the compassion of a great healer; in the wisdom of a respected teacher; and through the humility of an innocent Man turning the other cheek. We see Him on the cross, arms outstretched, seeking to reconcile the world to Himself.
NW: We see God in the flesh, ministering to a world that despised and rejected Him. A world where “He came unto His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). What kind of God is this, who seeks to save the lost, who loves His enemies, who remains quiet in the face of fearsome attacks?
This is a God who seeks reconciliation with us. That’s what He wants—more than anything. He longs for us to be with Him—not only in the future, but now.
TW: Christ’s work of reconciliation did not end at the cross—it continues still, as He serves as our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, ministering in the holy of holies, pleading His blood on our behalf. How wonderful to know that the God of the universe, who was willing to humble Himself and come to this world where He experienced our trials and sorrows, is the same Jesus who is now our advocate and high priest ministering for us in the real heavenly sanctuary.
We read in Hebrews 4:15 that “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” What a comforting and encouraging thought this is!
NW: Jesus realized that not only did we need to be reconciled to Him, but we also need to be reconciled to each other. This is why He has given to us “the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18). We are all called to this special ministry, and God has empowered us through His “word of reconciliation” (vs. 19), that is, the Bible. It is through His word that we find the keys to reconciliation with one another—confession, forgiveness, hope, and healing. Whatever difficulties, disagreements, frustrations, we are now facing, the Lord has made a way for reconciliation, for unity among His believers. His humble yet focused life, His selfless ministry to others, His amazing sacrifice, are examples for us, encouraging us to set aside anything that keeps us from being reconciled to Him, and to each other.
TW: What amazing love Christ has shown to us, and what a wonderful time this is to reflect upon his birth and gift of reconciliation. But while the warmth of the season may embrace us today, how will things be in January—when the new year has begun?
Jesus tells us, “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev. 21:5), and that miracle of re-creation, of reconciliation, is not limited to seasons. It is a free gift, offered to us each day. “The Lord’s mercies are new every morning,” wrote the prophet Jeremiah, “Great is Your faithfulness” (Lam. 3:22, 23).
How can we make certain that the reconciliation Christ offers is a real, 24/7, all-year long experience for us personally? By being connected to Him through His “Word of reconciliation”—the Bible, and by building a relationship with Him in prayer. As we take the time to read and study His Word, we will become more acquainted with His ways, and as we follow His example, we will become more like Him.
NW: Just as prophecy made clear when the time of Christ’s first Advent was near, we can know that the time of His second coming is almost here through the sure word of prophecy found in God’s Word, especially in the books of Daniel and Revelation. As
we look back at how those prophecies were fulfilled at precisely the right time, we can look forward with great hope and assurance that the few remaining prophecies yet to be fulfilled are very near.
TW: Friends, even though more than 2,000 years have passed since Jesus walked the dusty roads of Palestine, not much has really changed on this earth. Nations still oppress other nations. Young and old still get sick and die. Crime still plagues the planet. Friends, enemies, loved ones, still quarrel. Yet God is the same today as He was yesterday—reaching His hand out in reconciliation, healing wounds, making people whole, offering each of us the opportunity to be united in Him. And one day very soon, angels will again appear in the sky as they did so long ago above the hills of Bethlehem—this time not to herald the birth of the babe, but to accompany the King in his glory, coming to take His people home.
Let’s thank Him for His amazing gift just now as we pray together.
Father in heaven, we thank you that in the past, before the creation of this world, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit conferred on how to rescue a planet that would be in rebellion. That they would send Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to live among human beings here, to die for people having lived a sinless life, to rise again and to ascend to heaven and intercede for us. What an amazing plan of salvation. Thank you for the promise that you will come again the second time to take us home, to be with you forever. In Jesus name, we ask it. Amen.