In 1954, the Christian theologian and pastor Karl Barth began his Christmas sermon with a prayer that included these beautiful words:
“Open our hearts and our understanding and we shall grasp that in him is forgiveness of all our sins, is seed and growth for a new life, is comfort and counsel in life and death, is hope for the whole world!”
Barth entered the pulpit with this familiar passage in hand:
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” — Luke 2:10–11
Had the angel expressed the Gospel in this way, we all might have missed the point: the good news of great joy is for us.
Preaching to prisoners in a Basel jail, Barth’s comments were gracious, uplifting, and kind. Inviting his audience into the story of Christmas, he observed, "the news of the birth of the child in Bethlehem is not to be likened to a statement in a textbook.” He added, “the angel of the Lord was no professor as I am,” for “a professor would perhaps have said, `To mankind is born a Saviour’.” Had the angel expressed the Gospel in this way, we all might have missed the point: the good news of great joy is for us.
Speaking to people who may well have felt alone, undeserving, and perhaps forgotten, Barth tenderly wrote:
“The angel of the Lord addresses us together…like brothers and sisters who share a wonderful present from their father. No one is first, no one is last, no one gets preference, no one gets short-changed, and most important, not a single one goes wanting."
Just as God drew near to us in Bethlehem, may the news of great joy encourage and warm your hearts this Christmas.
How might prisoners have heard this “good news of great joy”? Similarly, how might this good news be received in our hearts this Christmas? Just as God drew near to us in Bethlehem, may the news of great joy encourage and warm your hearts this Christmas.
Becky, Oscar (our little dog), and I wish you a wonderful Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the light and life of the world!
Grace and peace,
Mark Husbands, PhD
President
See also — Christmas greetings from the TWU community:
✨Merry Christmas!✨
— Trinity Western University (@TrinityWestern) December 25, 2022
May the beauty, glory, and peace of Christ bring you hope and joy this Christmas. #TrinityWestern#TWUChristmasCountdown#GlobalUniversity pic.twitter.com/cL9byhaun0
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is a global Christian liberal arts university. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four locations in Canada: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Instagram @trinitywestern, Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.