Why Christ Came and What He Is Asking of Us Now

There is a saying that many people have heard before. If you want to watch God laugh, tell Him your plans. It sounds funny at first, but most of us know it is true. We make plans for our lives. We decide what we want, where we want to go, and how things should work out. Then life happens, and suddenly those plans change.

This idea is not new. It shows up clearly in the Gospel. King Herod had a plan. He believed he was in control. He believed his power could not be touched. When he heard that a child had been born who was called King, fear took over. Herod tried to protect his control by force. He thought he could stop God’s plan if he acted quickly and harshly.

But God does not work the way the world works. God does not panic. God does not rush. God does not lose control. While Herod was making threats, God was already moving quietly. An angel warned Joseph. Mary and Joseph took the child and fled. God’s plan continued, not through power, but through obedience.

This tells us something very important. God does not force us. He does not drag us into obedience. He allows us to choose. Herod chose fear and violence. Mary and Joseph chose trust and faith. God allowed both choices, but only one led to life.

From the very beginning, God’s plan was clear. Christ did not come just to teach good morals. He did not come just to make people feel better. He came to save us. He came to bring us back into communion with God. From His birth to His resurrection, everything points to that single truth.

This is why the Church connects Christ’s birth with baptism and mission. In baptism, we are given a new beginning. We are joined to Christ. We are brought into the life of the Church. But baptism is not the end. It is the start. Christ saves us and then sends us.

At the end of the Gospel, Christ gives what we call the Great Commission. He tells His followers to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. This is not a suggestion. It is not only for clergy. It is for every baptized person. God gives us the beginning and the end. Our life in between is meant to reflect that mission.

Many people think the goal of life is comfort. We are told to chase happiness, success, and pleasure. We are told that as long as we feel good, everything is fine. But Christ tells us something very different. He tells us that life has meaning. Life has purpose. Life is meant to show the Kingdom of God to the world.

The world often resists this message. That is why Herod reacted the way he did. The world does not want Christ to rule our hearts. The world prefers control, power, and self focus. But Christ does not compete with the world the way the world competes with itself. He overcomes it with love.

God does not come to crush us. He comes to save us. He comes because He loves us. He comes because He wants us with Him. That is why Christ was born as a child. That is why He lived among us. That is why He suffered and rose again.

This means something very practical for us. We are not called to save the world by our own strength. We are called to preach the One who saves the world. We are called to live in a way that reflects His light. We are called to invite others into that life.

The Orthodox Church gives us everything we need to do this. We do not have to invent the faith. We do not have to constantly remake worship. The Church hands down prayer, sacrament, teaching, and tradition. God has already laid out the path. The question is what we do with it.

Especially during the Christmas season, this is a time of renewal. If we have grown lazy in faith, we can begin again. If we have stopped inviting others, we can begin again. If we have forgotten our mission, we can remember it now.

God did not come to leave us in darkness. He came as light. He invites us to carry that light into a world that desperately needs it. Not by force. Not by fear. But by faith, love, and obedience.

Christ came. Christ saved us. Now He sends us. Amen.