Christmas Love
December 14, 2023 | by: Dale Thiele | 0 Comments
Posted in: Pastoral Encouragement
In the announcements about the birth of Christ, we hear the promises of blessing from God. From the angels we hear of “good news of great joy” and “on earth peace” (Lk. 2:10, 14). Gabriel told Joseph that Jesus “will save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). For Mary Gabriel highlighted the kingship of Jesus when he says, “of his kingdom there will be no end” (Lk. 1:33). The Old Testament prophecies emphasize these similar blessings: God with us, joy, peace, a righteous king who reigns forever. There is one Christian blessing, however, that doesn’t get the same attention as joy, peace, hope, and the eternal kingdom. That blessing is love. Christmas, also, is about God’s love for his people.
The Bible speaks about God’s love for his people in a variety of ways. Most prevalent, and probably what is on your mind, is the sacrificial love of God in the death of Christ. Romans 5:8 clearly states this, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Therefore, God’s love is most frequently associated with Easter, not Christmas.
We have other depictions of God’s love in the Bible, however. One is of marriage. God betroths himself to his people and the new heavens is pictured as a marriage supper celebration between God and his people. In the Old Testament, this marriage union is spoken as between God and Israel. In the New Testament it is Christ and the church. Now, God is one; therefore, his bride is one. There are not two brides for God, as if God the Father has Israel and Christ has the church. The Father and the Son are one; Israel and the church are one.
One of the places the marriage of God and his people is celebrated is Psalm 45. This psalm is a celebration of the marriage between the king and his bride. Perhaps it was composed for the wedding day. The language of the psalm, however, far transcends what would be appropriate for a “normal” marriage between two humans. The king is extolled as “the most handsome of the sons of men” and blessed by God forever. His kingdom is celebrated as an eternal kingdom, marked by righteousness. The bride is described as “all glorious,” dressed in magnificent robes. She is “led to the king” with her companions. “With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king.” While David, or Solomon, with his bride may have enjoyed a joyous marriage union, this psalm ultimately celebrated God’s marriage to his people.
So, where is the Christmas love in this psalm? Love is explicitly mentioned in the psalm title, that portion of text that appears in our Bibles before verse 1. The psalm title is considered to be inspired with the text of the psalm. Psalm 45’s title reads, “To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah; a love song.” In this title we have the musical tune, the author, and the theme for the psalm. Psalm 45 is a love song. It is a celebration of the love and delight the bridegroom and bride have in one another.
Again, you might ask, how does this apply to Christmas? We celebrate the incarnation of the Son of God at Christmas. Jesus had to be made man in order to purify his bride for their marriage day. Paul says Jesus did this out of love for the church, his bride. During the Christmas season we celebrate that the bridegroom has pursued his bride by being born in a stable in Bethlehem, kind of like a first date (don’t push that analogy too far). The marriage celebration is still future, when we enter into glory with Christ. But, in biblical language, the church already is the bride of Christ, and Psalm 45 teaches us the joy of knowing we are loved by our bridegroom.
