December 2025

Dear Friends,

“But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.” Luke 1:13-14

“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.” Luke 1:30-31

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11

One of the interesting things about the season of Advent is that the scripture readings in the church calendar often direct our attention to the birth of Jesus Christ. One might think that we should reserve those passages for the Christmas season itself, but this is not the case. The reason for this is simple. Advent is the season in which we prepare for the return of Jesus Christ, just as He promised. In our preparation for the second coming of Jesus Christ, we reflect on how God prepared His people for His first coming, with the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem.

There is a striking similarity in the angelic messages above. The angel greets Zechariah, Mary and the shepherds with the identical phrase “Fear not.” Of course there is good reason for this. Human beings are not accustomed to such angelic visits. Furthermore, the Jewish people were well aware that a divine encounter with a Holy God might very well mean death for sinful human beings. According to the book of Exodus, no one can see the face of God and live. Also, the Word of God repeatedly speaks of the importance of fearing God. However, the admonition to “Fear God” is not intended to instill terror of God, but rather a deep respect for Him.

The Gospel message teaches us how to have a reverence for God, while not being afraid of Him. The Good News of Jesus Christ is that God has come to deliver us from sin, death and the devil by sending His Son to the Cross to take upon Himself the punishment that we rightly deserved. In other words, Zechariah, Mary and the shepherds need not fear, because the angel has not come to bring bad news, but rather the greatest news of all. Their Messiah is coming! God’s Word brings that same message to us. Our Saviour has come! Christ has accomplished His mission to “take away the sin of the world.” God now prepares us for the return of His Son, by reminding us of what Christ has done and encouraging us to be ready, not out of fear, but with longing and anticipation, as a bride awaits her bridegroom. In fact, we need not live in fear any longer, because God’s “perfect love casteth out fear.” I John 4:18 As the hymn writer says:

“With hearts and hands uplifted, We plead, O Lord to see The day of earth's redemption That brings us unto thee.”

Thank you for your continued support of the ministry of the seminary. God bless you and your families with a joyous Advent and Christmas season.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14

Yours in Christ,

Chuck Bylkas