Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Sarah Over the Moon

Home
New Visions
Good tidings of great joy

Good tidings of great joy

Last updated on: December 26, 2011 at 3:52 pm by Sarah Moon

Good tidings of great joy 2011-12-26T15:52:50-06:00 Sarah Moon

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Image by Tom duBois

At yesterday’s annual family Christmas gathering, my mom was asked to do the impossible: gather up my younger cousins and get them to sit still long enough for her to tell them the Christmas story. And, being the super woman that she is, she accomplished this task with seeming ease. She managed to capture the undivided attention of those eight rambunctious little boys and explain to them the beautiful message of Luke 2.

She closed with: “When I see those beautiful, shining lights on the Christmas tree I think of what the Bible says–‘I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people!’ I think of how Jesus came to earth so that we could all go to heaven, where everything is beautiful like a Christmas tree, all year ’round.”

The boys and I smiled, thinking of these “good tidings of great joy.” Until one of my cousins raised his hand and said, “But, if you don’t believe in Jesus, then you just go to hell.”

Now, my cousin is only 3 or 4 years old, and was undoubtedly just repeating what he’d heard from Sunday School teachers.

But his words made me think.

Good tidings of great joy? To all people?

If what my cousin said was true, than the words of Luke 2 don’t seem very accurate. In fact, if I’m being completely honest, they seem like bullshit.

If what my cousin said was true, then Luke 2 should say, “Behold, I bring good tidings and great joy, which shall be to those of you who were lucky enough to have been born in a time and place where you got a chance to hear about Jesus. To those of you who are lucky enough to not be on your death beds in China right now, devoid of any possibly of knowing Jesus. To those of you who were lucky enough to be raised in Christian, not Muslim or Buddhist families. To those of you who weren’t unlucky enough to die as a baby, before you were old enough to understand who Jesus was, and to those of you who weren’t unlucky enough to have been born with a mental illness that prevented you from understanding Jesus. To those who were lucky enough to not have been pushed away from Christianity by the deplorable actions of Christians, and to those that were lucky enough to have found a way to reconcile faith with logic…

For unto you is born, this day, in the city of David, a Savior of the lucky ones. A Savior of the privileged few…Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, fear and shame, judgement and eternal punishment toward the unlucky ones.”

That’s not a Christmas story I can stand behind.

I have to believe that Jesus came to unlock the doors to heaven, so that all could find their way in.

I have to believe that Jesus meant it when he said that the gates of hell would not prevail against his church.

I have to believe that Jesus was truly victorious over death.

I have to believe that Jesus means good tidings and great joy.

And not just to the lucky ones.

To all people.

Previous Post

December 24, 2011

Happy Holidays from the Moons!

Next Post

January 2, 2012 A year in review

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2017 March 2017 November 2016 October 2016 July 2016 June 2016 March 2016 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What Roman road was Paul traveling when he encountered Jesus?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Roman Forum Road Corinthian Way Damascus Road Jericho Road