An Empty Chair Christmas Eve 2015 Beth hallel For millennia, Jewish families have set their Passover table with one empty place. When the youngest child was prompted to ask, “For whom is this empty chair?” he was told that it is for Elijah who will announce the Messiah’s arrival. The child then goes to the door to look and comes back to the table with the sad message that Elijah is not there and the chair will remain empty for another Passover. It is a sad moment in an otherwise joyful night. This juxtaposition of joy and sadness reminds me of another night more than 2000 years ago. On the hills outside and minor village called Bethlehem would be an outbreak of joy such as the world had never seen. Under the serene majesty of a star lit sky a few shepherds stood watch. It was unusual for them to be there at night and so late in the year. Some have suggested that theirs was the job of providing lambs for the temple. What a mixed emotion that must have been for them as at each birth, a time of joy, they also thought of the sacrifice that would end the young lamb’s life. They had to be more aware that sin brought death Their thoughtful watching was broken by a heart stopping vision of brightly clothed beings from another realm in the night sky. The message of “Fear not, for I bring you good tidings of great joy” brought peace in their hearts and sent them into Bethlehem to see this Christ child the anointed one of God. On earth there was “great joy” for long the people of God had longed to see the anointed one of God. The aging Simeon and the Prophetess Anna had looked for the Messiah’s birth all their lives and would be only two of a multitude who would rejoice at this birth. And now after two thousand years we are still rejoicing “Joy to the World the Lord has Come” the anthems ring. No birth before or since has caused such rejoicing, such celebration as the birth of Jesus the Christ. But, I would like you to think of another scene for a moment. Simultaneous with this joyous moment, if we can speak in this way, is a moment in heaven as confusing and distressing to the angelic host as any they had ever seen. At the right hand of the Fathers throne was an empty place where the Son should have been. The beloved Son who proceeds from the heart of the Father had for eternity shared with the Holy Spirit a bond which we as men can only imagine imperfectly. There was a bond of love, of purpose, of perfect oneness, three persons but one God that we can only attempt to understand. Angles went about their duty speaking in hushed tones casting furtive glances to the empty place at the right side of the Father’s throne, an empty chair. They had not yet read Philippians 2:7 to learn of the plan to make salvation available to all men by the Son taking on flesh. God incarnate he would be called. Or if they had read verse 7 maybe they also read verse 8 that says he would be obedient unto death even the death of the cross. What a sad and confusing time for angels. What a costly joy is ours to have a Savior! What an unspeakable price the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit paid for our salvation. There was an empty chair in heaven to make possible your salvation. I pray that when your family gathers there to celebrate that every chair will be filled with family wearing robes washed white by the blood of the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 20:57:35 +0000
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