Another Christmas has come and gone, leaving us in this reflective week at the end of the year—an in-between week to consider when to take down decorations and plan for New Year’s. We may feel hopeful about the future or anxious about what lies ahead. The message of Christmas is still fresh in our minds, yet I invite us to reflect beyond just the baby in Bethlehem.
In the Gospel of Mark, he even skips the nativity story and begins with Jesus’ ministry at 30 years old. Yet Mark wants to communicate that Jesus did not appear out of nowhere but fulfilled the prophecies from hundreds of years before. Mark 1:2–3 quotes the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’”
As a preparer, John the Baptist readied people to meet the coming Lord through repentance and baptism. This was a visual representation of a transformed life, ready for God’s reign, turning away from sin and toward God. Jesus, in continuity with John, proclaimed the summary of his message in Mark 1:15, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” This call to repentance and belief remains relevant today, encouraging us to turn to God for forgiveness and new life.
As we reflect on Christ’s first coming, we also eagerly anticipate his promised second coming—similar to how we are between Christmas and a new year ahead of us this week. So, as you pack things away for next season, perhaps keep a single Christmas decoration out throughout the year as a reminder of the hope not just for the following December 25 celebrations but for his next appearance on earth. He’ll arrive not as a baby but as a victorious king.
When, like the shepherds over 2,000 years ago, heard an announcement from the angels, the heavenly messengers will arrive again and say, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.” (Revelation 11:15)
As we enter 2025, let’s ask God’s grace to prepare us for the promised future. By grace, continue to turn our hearts, minds and lives toward God and follow His Son. Along with my congregation, I encourage you to read a chapter of Mark each week leading up to Easter as a simple way to deepen your understanding of Jesus’ mission beyond the manger. Mark helps show who Jesus is and what he came to do. He moves through scenes quickly, giving snapshots of a Savior on the move. A book about “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). The good news is that he has prepared a way for a new future with God and will make all things new — a bright future for all who repent and believe.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!