Good News For Christmas

 Good News for Christmas

Several years ago, I went through a Great Courses study entitled, The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World, taught by Professor Robert Garland of Colgate University. The study provided a very informative look at how those who were less privileged (the other side) lived in ancient times. One lecture entitled “Being Christian under Roman Rule” caught my attention. The following quote is taken word-for-word from Dr. Garland. 

“What would have attracted you to becoming a Christian? Here for the first time was a religion that was not judging you by the size of your wallet, or your status in society, or your gender, or your ethnicity. The pagan gods were out and out snobs. The more you gave them, the more they were likely to listen to you. The Christian God was not like that at all. He will listen to your prayers no matter what, so long as you are truly penitent. He will actually love you. What God has ever loved you before? In fact, if you were born poor, or downtrodden, or despised, or sick, he will look on you with special favor… And if it doesn’t work out for you in this life, you can look forward to salvation in the world to come. So, you, “the other side of history,” now move to the fore.”

Jesus said, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20), and “the Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19

The words of Jesus are Good News. They proclaim God’s peace and favor to those (poor, downtrodden, insignificant) on the other side of history. Announced by the heavenly host at the birth of Jesus, these words continue to ring out during this Christmas season!