So what's all the excitement about? For some reason there seems to be a frenzy of activity out there in preparation for the great moment (or should I say 'the great second') when we leave this old millennium behind, and enter the new.
On the banks of the Thames, a great Dome is being built to celebrate - Celebrate What? Apparently, Man's achievements over the last 2000 years. We have watched with bated breath whilst the great wheel was hauled into position. A marvellous feat of engineering - to the Glory of Man. Throughout the whole land in cities, towns and villages many preparations are being made.
So, people will be celebrating the achievements of Mankind. There is no doubt that Man is a wonderful creature. That is because he is the last crowning Glory of God's creative handiwork. Man is unique. He has such a wide range of abilities. The technological advances of the last hundred years in particular have demonstrated to the full all Man's ability and ingenuity. But the last hundred years have also clearly demonstrated that Man is a Fallen creature, and a Slave to Sin. Two World Wars, and, throughout the world, the ongoing conflicts, with daily reports of appalling atrocities testify all too clearly to Man's sinful nature.
But, how many of those who will be celebrating know that these Millennia date from The Beginning of the Christian Era? The Millennia date from one of the most stupendous events in the history of the World, and, indeed, in the history of Eternity itself. It was that the Eternal God, the Creator of heaven and Earth, should take up His Habitation on Earth as a Man - The Man Christ Jesus. It was that God became Man in the Person of Jesus Christ. He had ever been God, and He did not cease to be God. He took up Humanity into His Deity, and without ceasing to be what He had ever been, He became, in humiliation, what He had never before been - he became a Man. There was no Relinquishment of His Deity.
Now this is incredible stuff, and if it is really true - and we believe it is - then it was the most astounding event ever to take place since the Creation of the Universe. The Christian claim is that in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth, God took human nature to Himself once and for all, and to perpetuity. The Incarnation was decisive, permanent and unrepeatable; it was the turning point of human history, and the Beginning of a New Age. The Outcome of all this is that reigning at God's right hand today, is 'the man Christ Jesus.' He is still a human being as well as being divine, but His humanity has been glorified.
This Great Event is something that is really worth celebrating. It is surpassed only by the astounding fact that subsequently, God, in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, was prepared to die, on the Cross, for His Creature Man.
So as we enter the new Millennium, we can celebrate that God became Man, and that man, as our Great High Priest, is now on the Throne. One whose love is fathomless, whose riches are unsearchable, whose wisdom is infinite, whose power is omnipotent, whose resources are exhaustless. And yet, in spite of His Greatness, He is the One whose ear is ever open to hear or cry, whose eye is ever watchful to guide our way, whose hand is ever ready to meet our need, and whose heart is still full of love for His own.
J. Burton-Smith.