"It All Began at Christmas…"

In just a couple of days, we will again be singing, “All is calm, all is bright,” to celebrate Christmas. And although those lyrics are beautiful and meaningful, let’s not forget that Christmas is first and foremost D-day for the rescue mission of God.

In other words, Christmas is an invasion.

As the Scriptures describe it, Christmas marks the day God got Himself born into our created world, and Bethlehem was His beachhead. By getting Himself born as a baby, He was able to launch the long-promised rescue mission that would get the Father’s world back (see John 1:14, Matthew 1:20-23, Luke 2:10-14, John 3:16, Colossians 1:19-20, Galatians 4:4-7, 1 John 3:8, Revelation 21:5).

When we sing “Silent Night,” we rightly think of Jesus being born and placed in a manger. But to the forces of hell, His birth was a strategic strike marking the beginning of their end. They knew it was coming. It had been foretold from of old. They just couldn’t stop it (see Isaiah 9:1-7, Revelation 12:1-9).

You see, Christmas was the invasion that led to the cross and empty tomb. And with Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, the renewal of all things was established as an irrevocable conclusion.

Revelation 21:5, “Behold I have made everything new!”

But, understand this: while the rescue mission of God has begun and the renewal of all things is inevitable, right now the yeast of that renewal is still spreading throughout the loaf. The Good News of God is still making its way deeper into the neighborhoods of the world. It is spreading. It will not be reversed. But there are still people who are waiting for what Jesus offers.

And that’s why you and I are invited to join Jesus in 2026. We get to be a part of His invasion of renewal.

Have you noticed the unrest in the world, in your community, or in your own family? Those are all signals that the rescue mission of God is still pressing forward and that the forces of hell are still pressing back (see John 16:33). And, wherever we notice those forces pressing back, that’s where we are invited to step in with the counter-forces of Jesus’ love, joy, peace, and Good News.

We are not only beneficiaries of this rescue mission of God; we are agents of it. Wherever peace will prevail, wherever love and joy will reemerge, wherever forgiveness begins to overcome vengeance, and wherever renewal starts to set in, know this: it’s because people like you are somewhere in the middle joining Jesus.

It all began at Christmas.

But the work is ongoing.

Enjoy your new year of adventuring with Jesus!