By Joyell Nevins – CFFM Blogger
From songs to insignias, the Christ child and the gospel message of peace is laced throughout the Christmas holiday. It can be proclaimed by a resounding choir or sometimes hidden in the hullabaloo.
But the truth of the gospel didn’t hit me this year through a beautiful Christmas hymn. It came in the form of a quirky British cartoon called Arthur Christmas.
Artwork by John-Sulu of Deviant Art
In this film, Santa Claus has two sons: the capable and confident Steve, and the bumbling and compassionate Arthur.
Steve has transformed the North Pole into an operation worthy of the highest military spy intelligence (that’s him with his arms confidently crossed in the image). Gift giving is mathematically precise and no child gets missed…or do they?
The plot thickens when Arthur (pictured in the green sweater) discovers that in the fracas of the Christmas Eve operation, ONE child has been missed.
Steve looks at the billion children that did get presents, calls the ‘mission’ a success, and says that one child, Gwen, can get double presents next year. He says it would be impossible to go back and give Gwen her present from Santa.
Santa Claus himself is too apathetic to disagree – if Steve says it’s impossible, it must be so. So, Santa goes to take his post-Christmas long winter nap and Steve goes to play with his smartphone-like contraption.
But to Arthur, that one child is just as valuable as the other billion children in the world. With the help of his Grandsanta and an overly enthusiastic elf, Arthur finds Gwen, delivers her present, preserves her childlike innocence, and saves the day.
The Value of One
But in between the discovery of Gwen’s lost present and Christmas sunrise, Arthur and his posse have to deal with police airplanes, hungry lions, faulty directions, runaway reindeer, and a cranky homeowner (it was quite the movie!).
Yet, even when all hope seems lost, Arthur does not give up – because Gwen matters that much to him. One child being forgotten is just as important as the many children who were remembered.
And our Father and His son Jesus never give up on us when we are lost or have turned away – despite the many people that have accepted Christ and do follow him on a straight path.
Jesus explained this concept to the “Steves” of his day using three parables. Here is the first:
“Now the tax collectors [like modern day IRS] and sinners were all drawing near to [Jesus]. And the Pharisees and the scribes [think priests and pastors] grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
Image by tactouc
Jesus follows up that story with a parable about a woman searching for ONE silver coin, and ends with what has been often called the parable of the “prodigal son,” but is really more about The Forgiving Father.
The son and his depravity aren’t the focus of that parable; the point is what great lengths the father was willing to take to show both of his sons that he loved them.
We are Loved Too
The Father and His Son are still going to great lengths to proclaim their love for us. Just like Arthur was willing to go through incredible hardship when he could have been snuggled up in his Christmas pj’s drinking hot cocoa, so God and Jesus continue to pursue our hearts, to guide us, to draw us back to them.
Image by Conger Design
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:16-17 NKJV
Each person has been knit in his or her mother’s womb, and each human is a workmanship of the Father God.
“For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above – spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them…” Ephesians 2:10 AMP
God so loved those masterpieces that He gave His son Jesus for them, to do what was necessary to establish a relationship and give everlasting life.
Jesus so loved his people that he chose to give his life for the world. And he continues to make intercession for us to the father as we draw near to God.
Every Person Means YOU
Let me narrow that down: yes, the whole world matters. Yes, every person matters. That means that YOU matter.
YOU are a masterpiece of Father God. Jesus so loved YOU that he gave his life, so you could have everlasting life. He continues to make intercession to the Father for YOU.
YOU are so valuable that Jesus is willing to leave the 99 and search for you. And Jesus will continue to knock on the door of YOUR heart until you let him in and open yourself for relationship.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20 ESV
Merry Christmas, and may you and I both be reminded this season of how much our individual lives matter, and how valuable we are individually to the hearts of Father God and His son Jesus Christ.
For another truth from an unexpected source and a reminder of the Father’s care, read He Knows Who You Are.