2021 CBF CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

My dear brothers and sisters,

Holy and hopeful Christmas Greetings to you from the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship.

In normal times, the days leading up to Christmas are filled with cleaning, cooking and commerce. Office parties and functions would go late into the night and there would be an air of happiness and cheer all around.

But these are not normal times. The world continues to battle a pandemic which seems to be defying all medical, political and military strategies. Just when it appears as if the battle is being won, the virus mutates, and returns more virulent than before.  

In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are confronted day after day with news of international and climatic disasters such as flooding, earthquakes; military coups, assassinations, migration issues in Europe and the Americas, racial tensions which frequently erupt into riots, mental health crises, growing national anger and anxiety and a general lack of trust in both political and religious leaders.

There are those who would use these events as a means of instilling fear; fear of judgement, fear of end time tribulation, fear of hell and damnation. Unfortunately, there are those who succumb to these fear mongers. 

Then there are those who have chosen to blindly deny the existence of the pandemic and all the other terrible realities facing our world, instead of approaching this season with the joy, peace and hope with which it was intended.

The bible challenges us as believers to have a different perspective and a different response. In the gospel of Luke chapter 21, Jesus responds to the disciples’ question about the timing and signs of the end of all things. He first of all predicts and gives the warning signs before the destruction of the Jerusalem temple (Luke 21:5-24). He then goes on to tell them of signs preceding the coming of the Son of Man with power and great glory (Luke 21:23-27). Many of the signs are similar to the aforementioned disasters now confronting our world. He speaks of strange cosmic happenings in the skies, moon and stars, nations in turmoil, perplexity and terror.

But then in verse 27 he says when all these things happen ‘stand and look up, for your salvation is near’.

Jesus’ intent in pointing to these signs was not to scare his disciples but to encourage and strengthen their faith in the God who keeps His promises.

Christian hope and true biblical faith begins not with a denial of the realities facing us but with a realistic and honest view of the challenges and difficulties with which we are faced.

Christian hope also involves the application of a biblical understanding of trials and disasters.

For those who are not living under God’s rule and Christs’ Lordship these signs are an opportunity to change their ways and to turn their hearts over to Jesus Christ.

For the believer it encourages a greater sense of alertness (stand) and it encourages hopefulness (look up).

At this Christmas time when we reflect on and celebrate the breaking in of God into the world to save a lost and hopeless humanity, let us not yield to the temptation, give in to anxiety, fear and terror. Instead let us be encouraged to greater alertness to God’s sovereign activity and may our faith in his promises be strengthened so that we could be of greater service to God and to our fellow human beings.      

Rev Anslem Warrick

Executive Secretary/Treasurer

Caribbean Baptist Fellowship