As we celebrate the incarnation of Christ this Christmas, let me offer up a Christmas hymn hidden amid the pages of Paul’s letter to Timothy, in which he tasked his protégé with setting things aright in the Church in Ephesus. In doing so, he stresses the mission and message of the Church in 1 Timothy 3:14-16:

The Mission:

“I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.”

 William McDonald states, “A pillar was not only used to support a structure, but oftentimes a pillar was set up in a public marketplace and notices were posted on it. It was thus a proclaimer. The Church is the unit on earth which God has chosen to proclaim and display His truth.”

 The Message:

“Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: ‘He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.’”

MacArthur captures the weight, brevity, and clarity of this theological statement:

“You have a hymn, six lines, that sweeps from incarnation to glorification, all the way from the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to His eternal glory. In six short stanzas, this hymn summarizes the gospel. God became man, died for our sins, triumphed over death, was honored by angels and feared by demons, and ascended into heaven. This message was preached all over the world and many believed and were saved. That is the heart of the message it is our mission to proclaim to the world.”

 Indeed, and this is what we celebrate at Christmas: Jesus Christ was born to die to “save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).

Merry Christmas!