Anticipating & Remembering Christmas
The Old Testament carries a spirit of eager anticipation for the promised Messiah beginning with Adam and Eve and continuing forward through ancient patriarchs, prophets, poets, and people. They all looked forward to the birth of the Savior, to Christmas day, with the hope for redemption through Him. The Book of Mormon is also filled with this same eager anticipation as stated so well in this December Christmas ‘Come Follow Me’:
“One prophet saw Him as a premortal spirit, another saw His mortal ministry in a vision. One stood on the wall to proclaim the signs of His birth and His death, and another knelt before His resurrected body, touching the wounds in His hands, feet, and side. All of them knew this essential truth: “There is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who …cometh to redeem the world” (Helaman 5:9)
Just as keeping the Law of Moses helped ancient people look forward to the events that commenced on that first Christmas Day, our Savior introduced the Sacrament at the last supper to help us now to always remember them. ‘All generations of time’ are united as we celebrate Christmas which marks the beginning of the promised gift of redemption through our Savior.
Mind you, His redemption is not done like a factory bulk order for everyone all at once. In fact, our Savior carries us individually as we go through life’s experiences and we meet challenges. This is described in Isaiah 53:4-5:
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him
stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
This scripture is specifically referring to YOUR grief, your sorrows, and even YOUR iniquities that have bruised Him. Because of his voluntary sacrifice, YOU can be healed and be made clean again. Our Savior knows us as individuals and he saves us as individuals. One at a time. This is how we partake of the bread and water each week during the sacrament. This is how we also do work for the dead in our temples. One person at a time.
This personal redemption is why Christmas was joyfully anticipated before Christ was born. This personal redemption is why we celebrate Christmas and why we covenant to remember it today.
The Messiah came more than 2,000 years ago, and He continues to come into our lives whenever we seek Him and take advantage of his wonderful gift.
