Why?

This past weekend when the terrible tragedy occurred in Connecticut, it reminds us of the ugliness of sin. Sin is awful and we see the effects of this sin cursed world all around us. What has happened to this world? Why did this happen?

My cousin and his family live in Sandy Hook, CT. Their children are young. When I realized where the tragedy had occurred, I broke down and cried because I wasn't sure if their children could possibly have been at those schools. When I finally got word several hours later that there are 4 elementary schools in that city and their children went to one of the other schools, I was so relieved. Yet what about those families who were directly affected by this horrible experience?

How can we make sense of such a tragedy? I truly believe that only as we look at this world through the lens of the Bible can we make sense of such things. The Bible makes it clear that this world has been marred by sin. When God created the world, He pronounced it very good. So what happened? Adam and Eve were representative of all people that would come into the world, because they were the first humans created. When they disobeyed God's command, sin entered the world. (See Genesis 3) That sin affected every aspect of this world that God had created. In Romans 8, it says that "all creation groans" under the effects of sin (Romans 8: 18-25). We see that groaning all around us - from thorns on roses to death of loved ones. Death is foreign to what God originally created. The Bible declares it to be an ENEMY (see 1 Corinthians 15:20-28) - an enemy that will be destroyed.

So now we come to Christmas. Why do we celebrate Christmas anyway? Why do we rejoice that a small baby was born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago? Because in a world that is reeling from sin, death and a curse, into His creation stepped the Lord of all Creation. Jesus was and is the Creator of life. (Colossians 1:18) Yet for all His glory, He stepped out of heaven, and came to earth as a baby. The Creator became a part of His creation. Why? To redeem the curse of sin that had affected every part of His creation. In short, He came to earth to die.

There has to be a payment for sin. The payment is costly. No good works that any person ever would do would every pay the price for the sin that we see all around us. The sin that we have within ourselves. Nothing we could do could ever be sufficient payment. Only a PERFECT sacrifice would ever pay the price of sin before a Holy and Just God. Jesus Christ was fully God and at the same time He was fully man. He was PERFECT. Not marred by sin, but completely righteous. He had done nothing to deserve the treatment He received at the hand of sinful men. Yet, because of His great love for us all, He stepped into His creation to pay that sacrifice for sin. He came to earth as a baby, died on a cross becoming sin for us, so that if we would believe in Him, we have all of Christ's righteousness reckoned to us. (Romans 3:21-26) Then to show His power and display His glory, He didn't stay dead. He arose from the dead and won the victory over sin and death. The ugliness of sin put on display, only to be destroyed by the glory of God and the work of Jesus Christ.

Just like we saw the ugliness of sin last Friday. Just like we see the ugliness of sin every time someone close to us dies. Every time someone we know gets cancer, or any other horrible disease or sickness, we feel the effects of this sin-cursed world. And so, we come back to the manger. We come back to a God who loves His creation so much that He stepped out of heaven and came to earth to die.

Then when we believe in Christ and live for Him alone, we have this HOPE: "And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying or pain; the first things have passed away." Revelation 21:3-5

My heart aches for every single family affected by the happenings last Friday. I pray for them and I pray that the God of all Hope will reach out to them in love this Christmas.