Titus 3:1-7

There are so many wonderful things about Christmas. I love feasting, merriment, gift giving (and receiving!), and spending time with family. Sometimes, Christians will chastise everyone a bit for enjoying all these things at the expense of the “reason for the season.”

That’s a fair point, but I think it is important to remember that the way we celebrate Christmas—rich feasts, gifts, joy, fun, and merriment—beautifully reflects the joy, beauty, and richness of God’s mercy. We cannot miss the fact that the Gospel is good news and Christmas is a time to celebrate the richness of God’s mercy with enthusiasm.

This passage reminds us that God was merciful to us in our sinfulness.

In v. 3, Paul lists out that kind of people we were without Christ. It was then that the goodness and loving kindness of God met us. Our savior appeared, not when we were at our best, but while we were at our worst. And when He appeared, it was not because we had sent delegates to ask for salvation.

Instead, God came into the world according to His own mercy. It wasn’t because of what we had done, but was instead completely gratuitous. Nothing motivated God to save sinners but His very own mercy. God’s mercy is richer than we could imagine.

He did not only save us, but He made us heirs alongside Christ. It would have been plenty merciful of God to forgive us and send us on our way, but He went above and beyond. He washed us and gave us His Spirit and adopted us into His family. What rich mercy for sinners!

Christmas is a time of joy and merriment and feasting and family and gifts because they are small pictures of the amazing grace God has shown to us. 

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