Christmas What's In It For God?

Our generation is often referred to as the ‘me’ generation.

- RT Kendall

A question many people ask is, “What’s in it for me?” This kind of thinking is one of the end results of existential philosophy that offers no hope but only despair.

This line has crept into many universities, theological seminaries and churches all over the world. Much of theology today is anthropology – meaning it is mostly man-centred. The question, “What’s in it for God?” does not seem to cross people’s minds. But that is the question I would put to you as we enter the Christmas season.

So, what is in it for God? The answer is, what’s in it for him is what’s in it for you.

The reason for Christmas is about God: his Son, his love, his plan and his purpose, and ultimately his glory. A key word that makes this clear is ‘sent’. It comes largely from the Gospel of John. God sent Jesus from heaven to earth. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … The Word became flesh” (John 1:1,14).

The Word became f lesh because Jesus was sent by the Father. The term sent and its derivatives are found almost 60 times in the Gospel of John. Jesus came to earth because of the Father’s purpose. Jesus did not come to do his own will but the will of him who ‘sent’ him (John 6:38). The Son can do ‘nothing of himself’ but only what he sees the Father doing (John 5:19). He said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work,” (John 4:34). In other words, it was a God-centred mission.

What is a saviour?