A Christmas Message from Revd Simon Dowson

100 years ago Scott and Amundsen were battling to reach the South pole, and as we all know, Amundsen with his team was the 1st to get there and returned safely, while Scott and his team arrived 33 days later and succumbed to the hostile Antarctic weather on their return journey.

 

2000 years ago Jesus Christ began a far more epic journey. He left his Father’s side and entered our world, ‘His glory veiled.’

 

Scott and Amundsen no doubt had a number of motives for their respective journeys – including the prestige of their respective nations, in an era where national pride and jingoism was perhaps at its peak; partly because they were adventurers; but also I think we can be fairly sure they made their journeys because they wanted to make a name for themselves, to be famous.

 

Jesus only had one motive when he made that journey from heaven to earth – love. Love for us the human race because through sin we had lost our way and needed someone to show us the right path; love for us the human race because as a result of this sin we are unable to enjoy the ongoing relationship with our Creator that He made us for; love of each individual within the human race because ‘we all like sheep have gone astray’.

 

Now as a result of their respective journeys, both Scott and Amundsen became national heroes, even though in the grander scheme of things their journeys changed very little. As a result of Jesus coming into our world that 1st Christmas time and journeying ultimately to the cross, Jesus, in the words of the writer of the letter to the Hebrews became ‘the pioneer of our salvation’, so changing everything. The ancients had it right when they decided to demarcate history into the times before and after Jesus’ birth – his coming to our world is the decisive event in space and time, and it is only right that we celebrate his wonderful achievement.

 

So in the words of one of my favourite carols, ‘While Shepherds Watched’ let us join with the praise of the angels saying,

 

Blessings

Revd Simon Dowson