Monday Dec. 23
Scripture: Matthew 1:18-19
Matthew uses the same word for “birth” in 1:18 that he does for “genealogy” in 1:1. The word is genesis. Genesis means “beginning.”
Genesis is, of course, the name of the first book of the Bible. It is the book that tells us about how God created the heavens and the earth.
The theologian Stanley Hauerwas says that Matthew is writing the story of a new creation. Matthew, Hauerwas says, is telling the story about how God is offering creation a new beginning in Jesus Christ.
John’s Gospel (while using the Greek word arche instead of genesis) appears to be presenting the story of Jesus as a story of new creation as well. John 1:1 takes us back to Genesis, even using some of the exact words, “In the beginning…” But John alters it a bit, making room for this one called the Word (Jesus) – “In the beginning was the Word…”
Much later in the New Testament, the apostle Paul will speak about new creation. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul says, “If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation.” That verse can also be translated, “If anyone is in Christ, creation is new.”
The coming of Jesus is big, cosmic. God’s plan is nothing less than to make all things new through Jesus Christ. Perhaps we have set our sights and expectations too low. God has big plans, really big plans, for this world.
Think about this the next time you say, “…and heaven and nature sing.” Christmas is about every corner of creation becoming new.
Prayer: O God, you are the one who makes all things new. Make us new in this season that we might witness to your new creation. Amen.