More than an admirer of Christ Jesus
In remembrance of her Faith:
Queen Elizabeth passed away on Thursday 8 September 2022 after 70 years reign.
The Queen so readily employed the Bible in her yearly broadcasts to the nation and the world, especially during Christmas.
Starting from her Christmas message of 2000[1]
” To many of us our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ’s words and example.
I believe that the Christian message, in the words of a familiar blessing, remains profoundly important to us all:
“Go forth into the world in peace,
be of good courage,
hold fast that which is good,
render to no man evil for evil,
strengthen the faint-hearted,
support the weak,
help the afflicted,
honour all men.”
It is a simple message of compassion… and yet as powerful as ever today, two thousand years after Christ’s birth.
I hope this day will be as special for you as it is for me. May I wish you all a very Happy Christmas. “
The Queen rightly identified that the Bible provides us with a framework for living and reminds us of our accountability to God.
Framework for living.
This is where our faith should touch and mould the way we live. We don’t always get it right, but we should have a sense of what is right. What would Jesus expect you to do in the circumstances and challenges you face?
Accountability to God.
We shall all give account of our life to God. Living in the knowledge of this will help us to conduct ourselves in the most appropriate way.
The Christmas message of 2001 was another one of our Queens numerous messages about her faith.[2]
The opening statement of this speech was very informative.
For Christmas marks a moment to pause, to reflect and believe in the possibilities of rebirth and renewal.
The word ‘rebirth’ has depth of meaning in the Bible. Indeed Jesus said, ‘unless you be born-again’. This points at the ‘rebirth’ experienced when one encounters the living saviour.
But let’s not read too much into her simple words here. Further messages from our Queen will speak for themselves.
Her Christmas message 2005[3]
For Christians this festival of Christmas is the time to remember the birth of the one we call “the Prince of Peace” and our source of “light and life” in both good times and bad.
Prince of peace hardly needs any explanation. It shows a real familiarity with the Gospel of Christ.
Yet more explicit references to her personal faith were to follow in her 2011 Christmas message.
Christmas message 2011[4]
Finding hope in adversity is one of the themes of Christmas. Jesus was born into a world full of fear. The angels came to frightened shepherds with hope in their voices: ‘Fear not’, they urged, ‘we bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.’
Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves – from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person – neither a philosopher nor a general (important though they are) – but a Saviour, with the power to forgive.
Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families, it can restore friendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in forgiveness that we feel the power of God’s love.
In the last verse of this beautiful carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem, there’s a prayer:
O Holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us we pray
Cast out our sin
And enter in
Be born in us today
It is my prayer that on this Christmas day we might all find room in our lives for the message of the angels and for the love of God through Christ our Lord.
The Queen clearly identified Jesus as the saviour with the power to forgive. She rightly emphasises that Jesus was more than a philosopher or general but rather a saviour with the power to forgive. She ends with a prayer that calls us to find the love of God through Christ our Lord.
These words were spoken to a nation where we have a multiple of faiths. Yet here she spoke clearly, lovingly, and boldly about her own personal faith – and presented it to her audience.
These are not the words of an admirable of Jesus, as many are, but rather of someone who has made Christ her Lord.
Admirers of Jesus Christ will stop at commending his good teachings. But those who embrace the faith will see and know Jesus Christ as their Lord and saviour. Someone to whom they will one day give an account of their life to.
Those who embrace the faith will look to their saviour to give them the strength to live a life that is pleasing to God.
The remarkable thing about our Queen was that she was never condescending. She shared her faith in such a loving manner that even those who disagreed with her were not offended by her.
It neatly displays the truth of John 3:17
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (NIV).
Footnotes
[1] https://www.royal.uk/christmas-broadcast-2000
[2] https://www.royal.uk/christmas-broadcast-2001
[3] https://www.royal.uk/christmas-broadcast-2005
[4] https://www.royal.uk/christmas-broadcast-2011