Precursors to Christmas-The Lamb Revealed

1 Peter 1:13-20

Precursors to Christmas – The Lamb Revealed

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake, who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.[1]

Christmas is a joyous time. Bright lights decorate the houses and even the streets of the town are converted to a brilliant wonderland of colour. Tinsel outlines the windows of the stores, even those of the smallest community. Decorations stored throughout the previous eleven months are dug out of the attic, dusted off and placed prominently on display. All this announces to children everywhere (and to those who are children at heart) that presents will soon be distributed together with expressions of love. Is that all Christmas is, however?

Behind the garlands and the gaily-decorated trees, is there something more which is overlooked? The answer to that question is that something more is indeed overlooked. Before the celebration is an account of sacrifice and conquest—selfless death in order to secure freedom and victory over the last enemy of all mankind.

Christmas was at the heart of God’s plan of salvation, even before the world began. As the world celebrates Christmas year-by-year, we inhabitants mindlessly acknowledge that though we are a fallen people, God has made provision so that no one need be condemned. I do not mean that people consciously acknowledge this great truth, but I do mean that without knowing what they are doing, people who celebrate Christmas make precisely these tacit confessions. Let me explain.

In order to examine this issue fully, I must direct your attention to the text chosen for this day—1 Peter 1:13-20. There, God pointedly compels those who read His Word to confront some startling truths. Those truths deny what is commonly accepted and affirm which is universally suspected. Turn in your Bibles to the text and consider the Word of God with me as we examine a precursor to Christmas.

Christmas Points to the Revelation of Christ. Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. In a very real sense, Christmas is a time to “recharge” the spiritual battery. Just as the Lord’s Table compels us to examine ourselves in order to refresh our hearts for continued service, so Christmas is an opportunity to energise our spiritual batteries.

The text begins with the word therefore. By now, those in regular attendance at our services should know that “anytime you see a therefore, ask what it is there for.” The reason for Peter’s therefore becomes evident through reading the preceding verses. Listen carefully as I read 1 Peter 1:3-12.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, as was necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

Born again… an inheritance… salvation… Peter is writing about salvation—our new life in Christ. Christmas is about the Faith we hold dear as Christians. The salvation which we have received is not a source of drudgery or some mere dreary philosophy designed to steal joy. Salvation is a source of wonder and joy. Peter is reminding all who are Christians of that which we have received from the hand of God. Since you are saved, you will be engaged in preparing your mind for action and acting deliberately. As you prepare your mind for action and as you act with determination, look forward to the grace of God to be revealed in Christ the Lord at His coming!

Preparing your minds for action is an approximation to the Greek sentence. Actually, Peter calls for us to gird up the loins of our minds. The picture conveys the image of a man preparing for work or for warfare. The dress in that day required a robe instead of pants, and as a man prepared for work he would pull up the robe and tuck it about his waist so that he could move unhindered. The thrust of the statement is that Christians are to be prepared to work. Christianity is not a lazy man’s religion. We are saved to serve.

There is more in this, however, for the call is to prepare our minds for action. Christianity is a thinking man’s religion. Those who disdain thoughtful interaction with truth will find no comfort in the Christian Faith. In fact, those who are intellectually lazy tend to avoid the Christian Faith. They consider themselves as superior and claim to be wise, but God disputes their self-assessment. Paul writes of those who sniff at the Faith as those claiming themselves to be wise who became fools [Romans 1:22]. Those who refuse to engage their minds through challenging their particular worldview are precisely those who become futile in their thinking and whose foolish hearts are darkened [see Romans 1:21]. Underscore in your mind this startling truth: the Christian Faith is an intellectually demanding religion. There is scant solace found for the intellectually lazy within the Christian Faith.

Then, even as you exercise your minds, keep yourself from becoming mentally intoxicated. This is the thrust of the words, being sober-minded. Keep yourself alert. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by the events clamouring for attention. Be sober. Watch for what He has promised.

Let me present an illustration which is germane for this particular period of time. Today, many people decry what they see as an assault against Christmas. School administrators promote “winter festivals” or “snow carnivals” as mid-winter observances. Children present programs for their parents in which they sing about reindeer and snowmen and recite poems about the winter months. The courts busily rule on suits designed to compel towns and municipalities to remove all religious references from the grounds of public facilities. Without fail, Christians deplore the invasion of the secular world into the realm of the sacred. Sermons are preached about the hostility of the world. For all the shock and disgust at the naked efforts of pagans to seize the day, nothing much happens to change the situation. There is a reason for that assault and for the failure of Christians to do much more than politely grumble.

What is now observed as a Christian holy day was at first a pagan celebration. The saturnalia was taken over by churches eager to continue with a mid-winter celebration in order to keep newly baptised pagans content. Candidly speaking, the evolution of Christmas was crass syncretism promoted by the state churches. Only gradually did the idea of a celebration related to the birth of Christ take hold among evangelicals. Practically speaking, it has only been during the past two centuries that evangelical Christians participated in observance of Christmas. For all practical purposes, we Christians “stole” saturnalia, renamed it Christmas and called it a Christian holiday. If the pagans “steal” it back, they are only taking what is theirs.

My point in presenting this observation is not to initiate an argument about whether it is right or wrong to observe Christmas. Rather, I am endeavouring to point out the futility of arguing against the pagan seizure of the mid-winter celebration. In fact, I contend that those Christians who are offended at the assault against the Christmas observance have no valid complaint if they fail to live a life of witness the remainder of the year. Permitting ourselves to be exercised about the progress of the darkness, we fail to let our lights shine and miss a marvellous opportunity to honour Christ in these dark times. As the darkness appears to advance unhindered throughout contemporary society, a sense of hopeless despair also seizes the inhabitants of the land.

Instead of grumbling and complaining, let us rejoice as those who know the Lord Christ and who are convinced that He lives! Let us live lives which reflect the reality of His presence that our joy may attract the despondent of this fallen world. Let us reveal the hope of His coming, focused on the grace which will be revealed at His return. This is the command Peter issues. Think! Watch out! Look up! Christmas is so much more than lights and trees and wreaths and mistletoe. Christmas is a call to look for the fulfilment of prophecy concerning the reign of Christ on earth.

What has God promised His people? Salvation! Peace! Hope! Joy! Beyond this, God has promised that He shall reign on earth, putting down all rebellion and exalting righteousness. More than that, God has promised that those who have put their faith in His Son will reign with Him. Greater still is the promise that we shall enjoy God forever, serving Him with bodies unhindered by disease or injury. There is a glorious day promised when there shall be no more pain or death or mourning. Glorious day!

Because we are looking forward to something so much better than anything we have experienced to date, we see Christmas as an opportunity to cleanse ourselves from every weight which hinders our race. We see this season as an opportunity to set aside everything which causes us to stumble and impedes our progress toward righteousness. Looking toward the fulfilment of all the promises of God, we determine to be holy, even as God is holy. This is what Christmas is about.

Christmas was Planned before the World was Formed. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake. Christmas should direct the attention of each Christian to the fulfilment of His holy promise. We are confident that His promises shall be fulfilled. He has never lied to us. Peter says that our hope is centred in Christ. May I remind you that He is the One of whom it is written that He is the Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by His resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace [see Romans 1:3-5].

Jesus is God come to earth. Long before His incarnation as the virgin-born Son of God, the prophets told of His coming. When our first parents fell, sinning so terribly against the goodness of the Creator, He drove them from the Garden, but not before giving them hope. As God cursed the serpent, He spoke these words of hope which theologians speak of as the protoevangelium.

The Lord God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

cursed are you above all livestock

and above all beasts of the field;

on your belly you shall go,

and dust you shall eat

all the days of your life.

I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring;

He shall bruise your head,

and you shall bruise His heel.”

[Genesis 3:14, 15]

This is the first prophecy that One would come who would crush the head of the serpent. I believe Paul reflected on this glorious promise as he wrote the words of Colossians 2:13-15. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Wicked Ahaz received a prophecy of this coming conqueror, but he was too obtuse to understand the meaning of the words. The Lord Himself, thundered Isaiah, will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear and son, and shall call His Name Immanuel [Isaiah 7:14]. This was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus our Lord.

Perhaps you will recall the commentary Matthew presents on the events surrounding the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us) [Matthew 1:18-23].

Isaiah also prophesied of this One who was virgin-born that He would be more than a mere child. Listen to the glorious words of prophecy which Isaiah penned.

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace

there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

[Isaiah 9:6, 7]

It is this prophecy which Peter no doubt had in mind as he penned the words of our text. Indeed, we acknowledge that the Son of God has been born of the virgin. We rejoice in the knowledge that the Son is given in sacrifice because of our sin. It is the remainder of this prophecy which we await and eagerly anticipate. The government is not now upon His shoulder, but He shall rule with justice and righteousness. He will not waste the wealth of the peoples, as is true of our current governments. He will require no grand monuments for Himself—monuments which last only a generation, though requiring multiplied generations to pay for such folly. This One whose reign we await is indeed the Wonderful Counsellor. He is indeed Mighty God and Everlasting Father. He alone is Prince of Peace. How different from what we know in this nation and how different from the squalid and squandered promises of our politicians is His promised reign.

All this, revealed many years before His incarnation, was planned before the world began. God knew that our first parents would rebel, and He made provision for their redemption. God knew that we would be born part of a rebel race, and He made provision for our salvation. God knew you before you were born, and He made provision for your reconciliation to Himself. How gracious is our God!

There is mystery here in these words. They hearken back to the words of Paul in Ephesians 1:3, 4. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. Christ was foreknown before the foundation of the world and we who are the redeemed were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. It was the intent of the Father from before the Creation that there should be a people chosen to be holy and blameless before Him.

When Peter opened this particular letter, he reminded readers that they were included in the redemptive foreknowledge of God. Peter wrote to the elect … according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ [1 Peter 1:1, 2]. Now, he demonstrates that our Redeemer is central to that foreknowledge. Before the Creation, Christ the Lord had (and still has) a central role in salvation. God’s redemptive plan centres in the Son of God. The coming of the Son of God as Redeemer was no afterthought demanded as God scrambled to counter man’s sin. God created man, knowing that he would rebel against grace and knowing that He would require a Redeemer. Christ presented Himself as the Lamb of God from the very first. Therefore, Christmas is about Christ, and especially about His redemptive love for His fallen creation.

When the text says that the Saviour was made manifest in the last times for [our] sake, the reference is to His incarnation as the virgin-born Son of God. Technically, the reference is to His entire advent, but practically, the reference is to His presentation. Now, as we preach the Gospel, we declare the truth that God has sent His Son into the world that He might provide atonement for sinners. Listen to the declarations from the Word concerning this Saviour.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth [John 1:14].

He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgement, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him [Hebrews 9:26-28].

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ [1 John 1:1-3].

This is the message of Christmas! Christ has been made manifest! He has appeared to put away all sin. He bore the sin of many. He has come, and He is coming again. When He comes, it will not be to bear the sins of fallen man, but it will be to judge sin and to bring full salvation to those who wait His return.

Let me speak pointedly. Christmas should be an opportunity for each Christian to point others to Christ. We do not seek some silent witness, but we lift our eyes and turn our hearts to His return. As we do so, those about us will ask for a reason for the hope that is in us [see 1 Peter 3:15]. When they ask, we seize the moment and tell them of Christ our Lord. It should be the aspiration of each Christian to present himself or herself as an instrument of God’s grace to turn some someone to faith in this glorious season.

Christmas is God’s Revelation of Salvation. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake, who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. I am always astonished at the prescience of old Simeon when he encountered the little family as they entered the Temple precincts. Perhaps you will want to review that account. It is found in Luke 2:22-35.

When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,

according to your word;

for my eyes have seen your salvation

that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and for glory to your people Israel.”

And his father and his mother marvelled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

What thought-provoking words: my eyes have seen your salvation! Christ is God’s salvation. You who think that by joining a church you will be saved deceive yourselves. Those who are saved join the church in order to exercise their gifts and to honour Christ the Lord; but salvation is in Christ the Lord. You who imagine that a rite will save you are in grave error. Salvation does not consist of dipping in water nor is it found in eating wafers and wine. Salvation is Christ the Lord. How I wish that every individual seeking God’s salvation would learn this glorious truth: Christ is God’s salvation.

Would you be free of condemnation? You must know Christ as Lord. Would you enjoy God’s grace and the forgiveness of sin? You must know Christ the Lord. Would you receive the gift of life, being born from above and into God’s glorious family? You must know Christ the Lord.

We who are God’s chosen and redeemed have been ransomed from the futile ways inherited from their forefathers. We need not seek to compel God to love us, we need but revel in His love. We need not endeavour to solicit the love of Christ, we need but rejoice in that love freely given. We are ransomed with that which heaven deems precious—the blood of Christ the Lord. The Son of God has given Himself in our place and we are now set at liberty. Christ the Lord has provided salvation, freedom to be all that God wants us to be, and this without cost to us.

What is it then? How shall we respond to this glorious message of life in Him? First, we are called to worship Him who was born of a virgin. We are to submit to Him as Master of life. This is the reason we issue the call to all who are willing to be set free of condemnation. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved… For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” [Romans 10:9, 10, 13].

Saved, let us rejoice—not merely indulging our greed, but truly rejoicing in the knowledge that He has come and has provided redemption from the futile ways we inherited from our fathers. We are saved by the gift of God and we receive this precious gift without cost to ourselves. Therefore, let us lift our eyes to His return when He shall bring His salvation to all who await His coming.

Long before Christmas as we know it, the believers rejoiced. They lived in anticipation of victory. They looked toward a dawning day which promised more than they could ever hope. Look forward to that day with me, as did our forebears. Looking forward to that day, I see a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. And I see the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I hear a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” [see Revelation 21:1-4].

Some among us this day have need of the life which is offered in Jesus. We call you to believe this glad news we proclaim. If you will believe the message of life, come stand with us. Come declare your faith in Him who gave Himself for us. Honour Him as Master of your life by obeying His call to be baptised. Honour Him as Master of your life by obeying His call to unite with a sound church where you may exercise the gifts He entrusts to you. I pray this will be found to be just such a church and that here you will find a home. May God Himself direct your steps and may His angels guide you as you now come to confess Him, to obey Him, to honour Him. Amen.

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