2025 Christmas Message by Rt. Rev. Prof. Samuel O. Ike

2025 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE: JESUS CHRIST IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

1.) INTRODUCTION

It is time for another season of Special Blessings – celebrating the Christmas Season.

The Christmas season meaning literally, the “Mass of Christ,” reminds us of the Coming of God in human flesh (Incarnation) to be with us and in us (Emmanuel – God with Us). It is the greatest miracle story in the whole universe. It is the greatest drama plot in the world – conceived in heaven with cast both in heaven and on earth.

It is the greatest story of LOVE and sacrifice in history for “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 16:13) “But God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

The GOAL/MAIN REASON for all this was to save His people from their sins, ignorance of heart, darkness of lives and oppression (Matthew 1:21)

2.) THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

This Christmas season/Yuletide has, therefore become a period of hustle and bustle of activities;

It is a period of much traveling and visitations;

It is a time of many meetings – family, community, town, religious bodies;

It is a time of much celebrations and exchange of many gifts;

Above all, it is a period of much merriment and relaxation.

LET US HOWEVER NOT celebrate this Christmas like a well-decorated Christmas tree with twinkling lights and YET NO LIFE!/LIFELESS!

LET US PAUSE TO REMEMBER that Jesus Christ is the REASON for this Season.

LET US HAVE HIM at the centre of our lives and activities, meetings, associations, and celebrations at this time.

So, whatever vices that go on at this time to make us celebrate CHRISTMAS IN STYLE, that do not have JESUS CHRIST in them; such as stealing, violence, kidnapping, over speeding to make quick journeys, extortion in businesses and commerce, obtaining by falsehood, cheating, selfish embezzlement and acquisition of things only for ourselves, unhealthy competitions and rivalries, drunkenness and wild parties, and many more – we SHOULD ABSTAIN FROM!

Let us REJOICE for this great redemption of mankind – “For, behold I bring you good news 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.” (Luke 2:9,10)

Let us Embrace Him to have this joy, if we have not yet done so – to surrender our lives to Him and ask Him to forgive us our sins, and personally invite Him into our lives to be our Lord and Saviour!

LET US REFLECT THIS REALITY IN OUR DAILY LIVES AT THIS TIME AND

REACH OUT TO OTHERS

• With this message of love and sacrifice.
• With our sharing of what we have with the less privileged, the not-so-well to do, with our neighbours, and with our citizenry.

3.) THE STAMPEDES AND THE UNFORTUNATE DEATHS

It is on this note that we remember the stampedes that have taken place in the last one week:

• At Ibadan in Oyo State;
• At the Holy Trinity Cathedral, in Abuja, and
• At Okija, in Anambra State, where several lives have been lost and many injured.

This was while they were struggling to get hold of some palliatives made available by good-spirited individuals, agencies, and religious organisations.

While our hearts reach out to the grieving families of those who have lost their loved ones and pray that they receive the comfort, succour, and peace of the Prince of Peace at this time; WE EQUALLY use these episodes to ALERT our leaders, those in government at various levels that this is another wake-up call too many; that there is GREAT HUNGER AND HARDSHIP in our Nigerian nation now!!

The presentation and process of passage of the N49⁺ Trillion 2025 Budget; the good sounding fiscal and monetary policies being churned out; all the platitudes and consolatory messages from the government officials, our leaders, the political elites, the business techpreneurs, and traditional institutions will amount to nothing EXCEPT THERE ARE PRACTICAL AND VISIBLE EFFORTS TO AMELIORATE THE GRUESOME AND GRILLING HARDSHIP IN THE LAND RIGHT NOW; TO REDUCE THE POVERTY INDEX AND THE UNPRECEDENTED SUFFERING OF THE NIGERIAN MASSES.

This is the REACH-OUT Message of Christmas.

• Give to the Nigerian citizenry humane and life-saving and sustenance measures in governance.

If these hapless Nigerians have had enough, even the basic minimum of food supplies, they would not be jostling at every line of palliatives distribution.

LET THE PEOPLE NOT ONLY BREATHE, BUT LET THEM FEED THIS PERIOD – BOTH SPIRITUALLY, AND HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT!!!

This is the true essence of Christmas and the practical effect of Jesus Christ being the REASON FOR THE SEASON.

Rt. Rev. Prof. Samuel Ike
Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese
23^rd December, 2024

Find other Season’s Greetings of the Lord Bishop HERE

Visit our Youtube Channel HERE

2025 Christmas Message by Rt. Rev. Prof. Samuel O. Ike

Share on Facebook

Post on X

Follow us