Letter for December 1992
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Dear Friends,
We are drawing near to Christmas again, and we are faced with
the way Christmas in our society is so far from the celebration of the birth of
the Son of God as Saviour of the world which it ought to be. Our desire as
Christians is that we may be able to correct this in some small way, and that is
why, while reading in St. Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, I was
captured by the words "through us (God) spreads everywhere the fragrance of
the knowledge of Him (Christ)". The whole verse reads as follows, "But
thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ, and
through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him". 2
Corinthians 2:14.
There are just two words on which I would centre our
thoughts. They are the word 'knowledge' and the word 'fragrance'.
What is sadly lacking in our Society today is that the
knowledge of what Christmas is all about is so small. I remember in my student
days walking through the grounds of St. Mark's Church, Kennington on my way to
the Oval tube station, and overhearing a comment on the church poster. The
Church poster was a very large one with the words "put Christ back into
Christmas". The comment I overheard was something like this 'now they are
even trying to make Christmas religious'. That is sometime ago, and things are
much worse now. One example of the slide into a secular Christmas that I noticed
some years back was the way Scripture readings in the School Carol Service in
the Winter Gardens were being changed to secular writings about Christmas. It is
very hard these days to obtain Christmas cards with a Scripture message on,
unless you go specially to a Christian book shop.
Our society uses Christmas just as a traditional time for
family celebration and fun. Children in our schools are taught very little in
their Christmas celebrations about Jesus born to be our Saviour.
The Apostle Paul says that we, God's church, are the means
whereby the knowledge of Jesus is spread to others. What a privilege and
responsibility. 
If our hearts fail us in this task, Paul is so encouraging when
he says that his experience was, that God led him in triumphal procession in
Christ to spread the knowledge of Christ. As Paul gave himself to Jesus, he
found Jesus using him, presenting opportunities and giving him the words so say,
to spread the knowledge of Jesus, and to spread it effectively. He found also
that he was given the character of life which supported the words and that
revealed the loveliness of Christ.
We feel there is little we can do, but we can give ourselves
to the Lord for him to use. In little ways we can spread the knowledge of Jesus
at Christmas. The way we celebrate Christmas, seen in our preparations and what
we do, can be a powerful testimony. We can seek to insure that all who come into
our homes over the festive season see expressed that it is Christ's birthday
that we celebrate with joy. We can see that every card we send out speaks of
Christ in some way. If we entertain, or have parties, we must seek that Christ
is at the centre of them. We can try to make our conversation about Christmas
Christ proclaiming. This is little enough, but it is something. We shall be
surprised how God will use us, leading us in triumphal procession in Christ in
the spreading of the knowledge of him.
But now the word 'fragrance'. This is so important. What a
lovely word this is, and so expressive of all that pleases and delights and wins
us. The word could also be translated as 'savour', which is such a strong word.
The apostle Paul tells us in the next verse (v.15) in this second chapter of his
second letter to the Christians in Corinth, that God wants us to be an aroma of
Christ to others.
Our lives and conversation need to faithfully portray Christ
so that, not only may people gain knowledge of him, but also may meet him, feel
his presence, and know something of his love, grace, mercy, holiness, purity and
so on, through our lives and witness. People must not only hear about Jesus but
see him in us and be attracted to him.
Fragrance is perceived by our sense of smell and a lovely
fragrance attracts and draws people to it. Our lives must be this for Christ
attracting people to the Saviour. Savour is enjoyed by our sense of taste, and a
delicious savour causes us to seek for more. Our lives need to so reflect Christ
that people savour him through us, and are caused to seek more of his love and
power.
The Apostle Paul also suggests in v.15 and 16 that the savour
of Christ can also truly be the smell of death as well as life. If people really
hate good they will feel his presence and savour his person, but will only feel
condemnation because they will not, or are unwilling, to repent. We can't avoid
this, but let us seek to portray Christ faithfully, reflect his beauty, so that
if they will, people will receive the fragrance of his grace and love.
How are we to do this? Again, by allowing Christ control of
our lives so we are led by him in triumphal procession. As we seek that Christ
may live in us we will experience more and more what Paul writes about in 2
Corinthians 4:6 - God shining his light into our hearts, giving us the light of
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The more we behold the glory, the
more we will reflect it in every department of our lives.
Christmas is marked by lights of every kind hanging
everywhere to brighten the scene. Let us be spiritual lights shining in this
dark world spreading the knowledge and fragrance of Christ through all we do and
say.
Your servant for Christ's sake,