In these December “notes,” as we ready ourselves for the first coming of Jesus, I want to share with you something written by one of the greatest Christian apologist’s, author’s, and theologian’s of the last century. His name was Helmut Thielicke. He writes about the result of Christ’s first coming for us. Because He came to be our substitute unto death, and rose victorious, this is how it will be at the consummation of all things.

When I have to appear at the last judgment, God will see me in him who has bound his fate with mine. We have discussed this scene of the final substitution with one another before. When the hour of my defense comes and the eternal judge calls out my name, he will ask, “Who are you?” And before I can answer the Pros-ecutor will take the floor and reply, “Who is this?” He is one who has done this and that. Because he has no sympathetic love, he has overlooked the loneliest colleague of his who worked right beside him. He is a slave to his ambition and has only a pitifully small amount of love for others. He has always been his own best friend. He has never noticed that people right and left of him cried for his help, for a kind word, and for just a little mercy. He has been too self-centered to be able to figure that out or even to begin to try.

And, when the Prosecutor says that, my whole past will rise up before me and I will have to admit that he is right, difficult and painful as that will be. For, indeed, I am my past. When I want to know who someone is, I certainly ask about his background, because a man truly is what he has behind him, what he accomplished and what he failed in, what he did and what he left undone. Every businessman who hires and employee asks about his background, because he instinctively says to himself, “This man is what has been up to now.” When it be-comes a serious matter about what I have in my background – and before the eternal Judge – it is awfully and inevitably serious – then there is no escape; I am at the end of my rope. I cannot avoid this identification with my past.

But then my attorney, my defender, Jesus Christ, steps forward and obtains the floor. He says, ‘Mr. Prosecutor, everything you said is correct. And yet it is completely wrong, because this man no longer is what he has in his background; that is really behind him. I have crossed it out and taken it upon myself as my burden. I have blot-ted out the accusation and nailed it to my cross.’ (Col. 2:14). Then He turns to the throne of judgment. ‘Father and Judge, if you ask who this is, I answer that he is the one for whom I died and that I have suffered with him and because of him. I have become his brother and he has let me adopt him. He knew his hands were empty. He knew about his stained conscience. He knew that there was no escape from his wretchedness. And he was pleased when I said to him, ‘be clean!’ He accepted my offer to bear everything for him and with him. He stood beneath my cross and said, ‘I want to stay here by thee. Despise me not, I pray.’ Therefore, Father, he is yours and he is mine, and I bring him to you now. As he has looked at me with eyes full of trust, look upon him now has my brother and let him be with me always in your peace and in your glory.’

Blessed Christmas to you.

Your Pastor