In an article in The Australian last week (Dec 16-17), Dennis Shanahan, the political editor, wrote about the struggle to find a new set of values to guide us and the country into the future. He quoted the deputy Prime Minister John Anderson, "I think that what is happening is that we are in a post Judaeo-Christian age and we haven't, as a society, found an adequate substitute." Politicians seem confused as to whether they should be providing moral leadership, and if so what kind of morality they should provide. Some politicians recognise the moral vacuum and struggle with the social values that would help the country. Shanahan concludes "The sad truth is they are seeking an answer they cannot provide."
About twenty seven years before the birth of Jesus two families were struggling for control of the Roman empire following the death of Julius Caesar. Gaius Octavius a.k.a Octavian was lined up against the powerful interests of Caesarion. Hardly anyone today has heard of these two rivals, although Caesarion's mother Cleopatra is famous. Caesarion was her illegitimate child by Julius Caesar. She and her husband Antony claimed that Caesarion was the rightful heir. Octavian was the adopted son of Julius Caesar. In the event Octavian defeated Antony and Cleopatra's forces at Actium (in NW Greece) and was recognised as Caesar.
He was a good emperor and the Roman empire saw some of its best days under his rule. About four years after defeating Antony he was given the title Augustus honouring him as something more than human.
However Jesus at his birth was given the title Christ the Lord, and the commission to save his people from their sins (Luke 2.1-21). The title Christ (or Messiah) meant a ruler anointed by God himself. The people of Israel had looked forward to this divinely appointed leader for centuries. His name Lord was more than a title. It marked him out as divine. This was the name God had used as his own personal name. To call Jesus Lord was to claim that he was equal with God.
Caesar Augustus died in 14AD and his empire eventually crumbled. He is remembered chiefly by those who read the story of the birth of Jesus in Luke 2.
The citizens of Rome and its empire put a lot of hope in Augustus to maintain the peace and prosperity of the empire. There is still a diminishing hope that our civil leaders will provide a moral and social leadership that will strengthen our life as a nation. But leaders of nations come and go. Recent commercials on TV have reminded us that most Australians did not know who our first Prime Minister was. Leaders of nations do make an impact but it is small and temporary for the most part.
The birth of Jesus Christ the Lord, was an event which is continuing to impact our world. Despite the efforts of many to ridicule Jesus and confuse the issues about who he is and what he taught, he remains the only historically attestable, divine saviour to offer help to a world in a mess.
His birth means that the Son of God who made everything became a human being. This was an amazing and momentous event.
But what does it mean for God to become a human being? It may mean that he thinks we are special. It may honour us. Imagine if someone like Nelson Mandela decided to migrate to Australia and become an Australian citizen. Many of us would be very pleased. It would confirm our own judgement that Australia was a very nice place to live. We would feel honoured that such a famous man had chosen to live here - especially if he chose to live in our city.
But what if it became clear that he had migrated here in order to help reconcile the indigenous peoples and the more recent arrivals who have dispossessed them and ruined their life. Not everyone would feel honoured by that.
The birth of Jesus is a bit like that. We should feel special that God chose to send his Son as a human being. But he came to save us. His coming was a judgement on us. It exposed our helplessness and corruption. Far from affirming us in our pride it rebukes us in our rebellion. But it also offers hope.
Jesus was given a rightful title far in advance of Caesar Augustus. No ruler of any nation can lay any claim to an authority and power anything like that of Jesus. Furthermore he alone is able to deal with the moral confusion and corruption that is endemic in human life. The loss of moral values that is recognisable in all western societies is a symptom of a world that has turned away from God.
The angel's message to the shepherds was that a saviour had been born who was Christ the Lord. It is because people do not treat Jesus as Lord that they need to be saved. It is the same Lord whom they have ignored, ridiculed and spoken against who comes to save them. Save them from what? He comes to save them from continuing as enemies of the Lord who rules the universe. He comes to save them from the just consequences of rebelling against him. He comes to save them from his judgement.
We will not find an adequate substitute for the Judaeo-Christian way of life, for the simple reason that there is none. Certainly politicians cannot provide it. What we need to do is to return to the Lord who is Jesus. Ask him for forgiveness for having left his way. And give ourselves to obeying him as our Lord. Recognise that he has the title and name far above any other name or authority. Give him our allegiance, and trust that he alone will certainly save us.
His birth puts upon us a choice of the highest consequence. Once you accept who Jesus is and why he came, your life changes forever. There is nothing sentimental about this. This event goes to the heart of who we are. Will you give yourself to this Lord to love him and serve him and trust your life to him forever?
Dale Appleby