When Alexander the Great swept through Asia and northeast Africa creating an empire from Greece to northwestern India, military dominance was not his long-term plan to keep the empire united and subjugated. Military force for those who didn’t comply with the new empire was certainly always a threat, but it couldn’t be the only way to keep this vast empire under control. Alexander introduced a new culture. He “Greekified” the empire (properly known as “Hellenization”). Provinces would still retain some of their distinctives. However, common language, laws, customs, and even entertainment—an overarching unifying culture—bound the empire together to a great degree. There were new ways of living that attracted people to desire to be a part. The influence of Hellenization outlived Alexander and the Greek empire as it lived on through the subsequent Roman empire.
A new kingdom brings a new culture.
In Luke 2 the narrative of Jesus’ birth is unmistakably a challenge to the present Roman kingdom or empire and its king or emperor. Luke makes certain we understand the historical context of Jesus’ birth during the reign of Caesar Augustus. He was known as “the savior of the world” and “son of God,” who ushered in the Pax Romana, the Roman Peace. The announcement of his birthday and conquests were known as “the gospel” or “good news.”
Anyone hearing Luke’s Gospel familiar with the Scriptures knows that “son of God” is a title reserved for the son of David, (2Sam 7.14) the king of Israel, who is heir to the nations (Ps 2). The angels announce the “good news of great joy which shall be to all people,” which is the birth of the Savior in the city of David who is Christ the Lord. (Lk 2.10-11) The child born in Bethlehem is the rightful heir of the throne of David and, thus, the heir to the throne of the world. With his birth is the announcement of “peace on earth.” This is the Pax Christi, the Peace of Christ. (Lk 2.14) His birth is the beginning of the conquest of the kingdom of God.
A new kingdom brings in a new culture.
The kingdom culture of Christ is described by Paul in his letter to Titus. God overthrows the kingdoms of this world by the epiphany of his grace in Jesus’ self-offering that brings salvation for all men (Ti 2.11-14). The kingdom of Christ removes the power source of all of the kingdoms that oppose his kingdom: sin. With the destruction of sin and the introduction of a new kingdom, there are new ways of thinking, living, and speaking in this empire. This grace disciplines or, better, inculturates us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. Grace disciplines us to live self-controlled, righteous, godly, and patient lives as we wait for the fullness of our salvation, the blessed hope and appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Grace disciplines. Grace trains. Grace inculturates. Grace transforms your life by transplanting you into a new culture. The grace that brings salvation is not merely the favor of God that shields us from the consequences of our sins. Grace is not God’s being a great big Santa Claus who hands out goodies and protects us from everything bad even though we continue to live lives willfully dominated by sin. Salvation is from the tyranny of that old king and kingdom and their culture of death. God’s grace in salvation involves disciplining your mind and body to think and move in ways that are consistent with the culture of the kingdom. Rebuke is as much grace as forgiveness. Self-denial is as much grace as reward. Mortification of sinful desires is as much grace as deliverance from punishment. Grace puts us through a continual boot camp of the kingdom. What’s more, is that this grace is attractive for those who love the kingdom. We see the beauty of the culture of the kingdom of God, and we are drawn to it, willing to be put through our paces in order to be good citizens.
The message of Christmas is one of grace; the grace that overthrows the kingdom of sin with its deadly poisonous culture and establishes us in the kingdom of Christ characterized by self-control, righteousness, godliness, and persevering faith. This culture will not merely continue another generation or into the next great empire. This is the culture that will last forever.
