I have to agree Christmas simply wouldn’t be Christmas without the chance to hear “The Messiah”. And this year was as about as good as it gets because we had the opportunity o listen to the Academy of Ancient Music’s production at the Barbican. It was a stunning performance and it took me back to my schooldays when I was a member of a choir that included “The Messiah” in its annual repertoire.

I found the evening very informative too because I learned that the first London performance proved highly controversial because it was staged in a theatre. One grumbler summed it up well when he wrote “An Oratorio either is An Act of Religion or it is not; if it is I ask if the Playhouse is a fit Temple to perform it in or a Company of Players fit Ministers of God’s Word” (I have to thank Stephen Rose for highlighting this idiosyncratic and completely misguided reflection on the meaning of the “sacred”. It made we wonder what this particular killjoy made of the fact that Jesus mixed with drunkards and prostitutes. I can only guess he’d never noticed it).

We were challenged to think about Messiah’s in relevance in today’s youth culture too. As composer Hannah Conway said whilst introducing the short composition which preceded the main production “I was delighted to be asked … to create a new work with young people in London in response to Handel’s Messiah. I was fascinated to discover how this cornerstone of choral music would resonate with an eclectic group of teenagers aged 11-15 years. …. Most importantly was it relevant? Could they relate to the themes, the music and the narrative….?”

Now I would be the first to admit that I am no composer but as Hannah Conway began to voice her thoughts I found myself silently shouting “Of course the story is relevant! And that’s the challenge! Christians simply must find ways of showing people of all ages, all faiths and none, that the story of the Messiah is the most relevant and life changing thing they could ever hear. The church often obscures this truth of course, but when it is told in a way that people understand it is explosive and can change lives.

The word “Messiah” simply means God’s anointed ruler. And if the church is correct His name is Jesus. And you don’t have to spend much time looking at His life to see just how relevant His message is. Take the idea of “acceptance”. We all long to be accepted “warts and all” which is why it’s so good to know that Jesus loves us and is willing to accept us whatever our background, whatever our ethnicity. I reckon that’s pretty relevant.

And then you can add His longing to see us fulfill our unique potential. He doesn’t want anyone of us to fit into a mould. He created every one of us, and knows what we could and should achieve in life. Now that’s what I call a great life coach! Best of all He offers a life that will not hit a brick wall when we die. As He sees it “the best is yet to come”.

And just in case anyone is tempted to respond by saying “Christianity is boring” (and it can be) let me assure you following Jesus is definitely not. In fact the reverse is true because He is nothing if not “predictably unpredictable”.

You can’t put Him in a box. In fact you never know what He might ask you to do in ten minutes time let alone tomorrow. All of which makes me think “Roll on 2018”.

Rob James is a Baptist Pastor broadcaster and writer who currently operates as a church and media consultant for the Evangelical Alliance Wales. He is available for preaching and teaching throughout Wales and can be contacted at [email protected]