Romans 12:12-13,
ejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in
prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
What word represents Christmas? For some, it is about peace
and a spirit of goodwill to one and all. For others, it is about Jesus,
God incarnate. For a few, it is about a renewed hope in the darkess
time of the calendar year, and a dark time in the history of Israel
under the hands of the Romans. The religious leaders demanded a
heavy hand of the religious laws. The political rulers were playing
politics and in a power struggle with the Romans. It was in this
historical, political, and social context that Jesus was born.
No one has ever seen God, said the Pastor, yet
believed by faith. It may have been true 2000 years ago, but the birth
of Jesus have made the face of God human. And it was a very different
from what was expected, a ruler in a white horse destroying the Roman
armies! Yet, Jesus did not raise one finger against the Romans, but his
greatest angst were against the self-righteous Jewish religious leaders
who were quick to judge others for their sins and demanded firm
adherence to the law.
With the birth of Jesus Christ, mankind has finally
seen God in person, and today He lives in our heart if we truly believe
in Him by faith. We have seen God, not in flesh for we live in a
different era, but no less real, in the Spirit. God becomes real to us
in Christ, a King, a friend, a brother, a Saviour – giving us hope to
live again in this world and the hope of eternity one day in heaven.
We have made too much out of reconciliation of
faith and sexual orientation, and quickly package it as a journey that
will take us further to minister to the rest of the marginalised, or to
evangelise to the GLBT community. We will end up being the lone voice
crying Jesus loves me this I know in the gay ghettos for few would
listen to us. If we were more inclined to a liberal tradition, we will
end up the few who minister perhaps to the foreign workers. Our churches
would not grow and soon we too will leave the church.
We are looking for the same type of churches whence
we came from except being inclusive and supportive of our same sex
orientation. But this is never going to be enough. The GLBT Christians
are looking for hope in a hopeless situation where the laws of the land
limits their basic rights, and they suffer condemnation and persecution.
They have lost much. Their families may have rejected them, and their
future look bleak with no family to support them when they grow old.
We are looking for peace, joy and Hope rather that doing any good
works because so much has been denied us.
We may not be interested in continuing on the good
works as the straight churches do – in the ministry of evangelism or in
helping the outcasts and the poor. There is no point when there is no
hope in our lives, for even the poor has much more rights than us.
Indeed, many gay children are poor and needy being kicked out of their
homes by their parents in the US. Why do we preach the Gospel of the
Good news, when the Christian church itself which represents Jesus has
been the main antagonist against gays?
During this Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ
should give us Hope. This Hope is in the boy child
Jesus Christ. When we see a baby, we see the hope of the great potential in that
child, to be a world changer and to be a blessing to the lives of many.
The hope is carried with the child. So is the Hope carried by Jesus
Christ this Christmas.
We need hope to believe again what God is doing and
can do in our lives. Hope for a better future, hope for freedom and
peace where we can have our own family. We longed to enjoy our lives
with our partner yet we know the reality that there are few places that
recognise gay rights let alone gay marriage. We are in despair with our
hope and future taken away from us. We cry to God but see the very cruel
hand of His church coming against us.
May the Christ of hope gives us peace, joy and Hope
during this Christmas season. Where there is no hope for the future,
there is no power for the present. We have no power to do the ministry
of Christ be it preaching the Gospel message of the Good News to the
GLBT community or supporting those who are afflicted by AIDS.
Without hope, we can’t give others hope. With the
incredible turmoil and persecution in our lives, we are seeking for that
inner peace and joy and hope for the future when the outside situation
looks bleak. Our rights are taken away and gays are put in prisons. We
are looking for a tangible manifestation of Christ in our lives, no
longer just a prophetic hope for the coming of the Messiah, but we want
to see the baby Jesus, our hope for redemption.
Without hope we can’t face and conquer the future.
What is the Hope that Christ gives us? That He will be with us, and be
our friend, our guide and finally when all things are over, our hope
never fails because Jesus is our Hope of redemption in heaven. God is
for us, and not against us.
Whatever
lot we have on this earth, we will one day be with Jesus in heaven. We
have the ultimate redemption even though our lives on earth may not be
doing as good as we may have wanted it. One day our struggles will be
over, and we will finally be Home and be at rest with Jesus in heaven.
During this Christmas season, as we behold Christ,
He becomes our Hope for God is a good God and His heart is to give us a good
future, a good partner, a family, a roof over our head, and having no
lack in all that we do. Don’t lose Hope, for your salvation is near. And
remember, God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good.
And this dependency is found in a continuous attitude of prayer of
remembering Christ in our lives. Jesus Christ is very near to us in
prayer.
May God bless you abundantly over this Christmas,
and may Christ, our Hope of glory gives us hope for today, tomorrow and
for eternity. Be steadfast in prayer, trusting in God for your salvation
and hope fulfilled is near and coming. Amen.