The Reason for the Season: Relationship, Ruin, Redemption, and Restoration

As we celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus at Christmas, I wanted to quickly address the "reason for the season" and what that really means. It all can be summed up with four words: Relationship, Ruin, Redemption, and Restoration.

God came to this earth in the form of a human being in order to bridge the gap between Genesis and Revelation. To bring the story of the Bible full circle. You see, that story is one of Relationship, Ruin, Redemption, and Restoration.

The book of Genesis starts out with the creation of the universe and this planet, the "heavens and the earth." There was a garden, and in this garden was mankind, Adam and Eve. They would walk with God in the garden every evening. There was a RELATIONSHIP with God.

But then they were tempted by the serpent, and they chose to disobey. Sin entered into this created world, and the fall occurred. Sin brought death and destruction. We lost the garden, we lost access to the tree of life, we lost paradise, and we lost our RELATIONSHIP with God. Creation fell into RUIN due to sin.

In time, the "new Adam", Jesus, comes in human form as a baby in a manger. The God of all creation, who made everything, becomes part of His creation. This provides the pathway back to God. His eventual sacrificial act on the cross paves the way for us, if we accept Him and believe on Him, to enter into paradise and live forever with God. He is the way. Jesus provides REDEMPTION through His blood shed on the cross for our sins.

The last book of the Bible, Revelation, ends with "a new heaven and a new earth." Once again we are in paradise. There is a river flowing with the water of life from the throne of God, and the tree of life is on each side of the river. God the Father is there, and we are once again back in a right RELATIONSHIP with Him, forever. REDEMPTION has saved us from our sinful RUIN. RESTORATION has occurred for mankind and all of creation.