Rev Dr M Mohanan, President of the India Evangelical Lutheran Church(IELC) attended the worship service held at Alanguppam Bethlehem Lutheran Church, IELC Ambur Synod and delivered a special message. Mr. Baul Sundar, General Treasurer / Secretary offered greetings and released the Church calendar.

PASTORS OF IELC AMBUR SYNOD CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS PRESIDED OVER BY REV. LSD. GLADSON PREMKUMAR, PRESIDENT OF IELC AMBUR SYNOD IN THE PRESENCE OF EXECUTIVE MEMBERS OF THE PASTORS ASSOCIATION, AMBUR SYNOD. REV. K. VICTOR, PRESIDENT OF THE PASTORS ASSOCIATION ORGANIZED THE EVENT.

The Manger and the Cross: A Journey of Divine Grace

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” — Luke 2:11

The Incarnation: God Descending to Man

Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, on these blessed Christmas days, as we celebrate the birth of our Lord, Savior, and Redeemer Jesus Christ, I lovingly greet you all in the precious name of the Lord.

Christmas is not merely a story or a remembrance festival; it is the day when God Himself left heaven, humbled Himself, and came down to earth as a human being to seek humanity. When humanity was separated from God because of the burden of sin, God fulfilled His heavenly promise to redeem us.

God became human and incarnate. Humanity is broken by sin. By our good works or religious efforts, we can never justify ourselves before God. Therefore, as the remedy for this condition, God sent His own Son into the world as a human being to accomplish this mission of redemption. Through whom paradise was lost, and through the path by which the curse entered, God Himself provided the solution to that curse—through the same woman and through her labor pains.

The Greatest Expression of Love

By giving His Son and completely breaking the bondage of sin to which the world was enslaved, God reveals the greatest expression of His love through Christmas. He did not come as a mighty king with power, but as a humble child. Through this, God says to us: “I love you; I come to you in your very condition, to be with you.”

We are saved only by God’s precious grace (Sola Gratia). Through unwavering faith in Him (Sola Fide), we become children of God through Christ alone (Solus Christus), bearing witness to the Word alone (Sola Scriptura).

The Theology of the Cross in the Manger

Christmas reminds us that salvation is a gift. It becomes ours only when we receive it with an open heart and childlike faith. The birth of Christ is the perfect sign of God’s love—not because we were worthy, but solely because He loved us.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” — John 3:16

Truly, the divine depth of that love is revealed in the truth that the road to the cross begins in the manger. The little child laid in the manger takes His first steps toward Calvary. God’s journey of love that began in the manger is completed on the cross. This is what the theology of the cross teaches us: God’s glory is revealed in human suffering and weakness. God did not ignore our tears and pain; He embraced them all within His own life.

Our Mission: Living as Witnesses

When we look at today’s world, we see that we live in a frightening reality filled with anxiety and fear. Yet Christmas assures us with confidence: “God is with us.”

Through the Word and the Holy Sacraments, Christ still comes near to us today. He is not far away; He is with us. The mission entrusted to us as a community of believers is to share this experience with our fellow human beings. Let us strive to pass on to others the joy and the experience of redemption that has entered our own lives.

A Call to Transformation

Christmas is a day that transforms us. Those of us who celebrate Christmas are called to live as people who have received Christ. We are called to forgive, to love, and to share hope. As people who live by God’s grace, we are reminded that we must allow that grace to flow to others as well.

With this reminder, I wish you all a Christmas filled with joy and peace.

• May the Lord who lay in the manger dwell in your hearts.
• May He grant peace in your homes.
• May faith be strengthened in our Church.
• May we become witnesses of Christ’s love in the world.

I extend my heartfelt Christmas and New Year greetings to you all. May the peace of Christ surround you all.