The True Meaning of Christmas

 The following is a devotion I gave in Church after our annual kids' Christmas program:

I bet just about everyone here this morning has watched the Charlie Brown Christmas special at one time or other. At one point in the show, Charlie Brown yells out “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas all is about?” And Linus responds by reading the Christmas story out of the Gospel of Luke. This morning our kids have reminded us of what Christmas is all about.

I’d like to take just a few minutes now to put that story in a broader theological context. The Christmas story actually begins with an unfathomably powerful, intelligent and loving God who created human beings for mutual love and fellowship with Him.

Unfortunately, people—without exception—rebelled against their Creator by their thoughts, words, actions, and attitudes; destroying the very purpose for which they were created. You might almost say that human beings collectively extended their middle finger in God’s face saying, in effect, “We’re going to do things our way!”

So in his wrath, God did one of the worst things he could have done to us. He let us have our own way! He gave us up to follow our own desires, to live as we pleased, and to reap the natural consequences of our own rebellion. You might say he allowed us to stew in our own juices.

The result was generations of what has often been called, “man’s inhumanity to man”—murder, torture, slavery, rape, robbery, corruption, extortion, adultery, pornography, hatred, racism, drunkenness, physical and emotional abuse, vindictiveness, arrogance, callousness, lies, bitterness, greed, envy, gossip, self-centeredness, self-righteousness, refusal to forgive—and failure to show empathy, compassion and generosity. And above all else: failure to love, worship and give thanks to the God who created us and provides for us daily.

Our rebellion not only destroys human relationships; it destroyed our relationship with God. It destroyed the very purpose for which we were created! And every one of us have contributed to this stew to varying degrees. God allowed this insurrection in the hope that people would acknowledge the disastrous results of their rebellion and turn back to him.

But not so fast! The relationship was broken. Mutual love and fellowship are impossible when one party is in rebellion. Besides that, no amount of philanthropy or other good works could ever make up for rebellion against a holy God, or for the utter destruction that rebellion caused to God’s originally perfect creation.

And that’s where Christmas comes in! Rather than destroying his rebellious creatures—which may be what many of us would have done—the Gospel of John says that God became flesh and lived among us. God—in the person of Jesus Christ—was born as a baby in a manger and grew up in a world of corruption and oppression. On that first Christmas day he entered the stew of suffering that we created; and suffered right along with us. He willingly submitted himself to mocking, beating, and torture on a Roman cross as a sacrifice in our place. Jesus did this to save us from the eternal consequences of our rebellion; and to restore us to the purpose for which we were created. The good news is that all those who turn to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith will have their sins forgiven and be reconciled with God.

But there is a dark side to this “good news.” Those who persist in rejecting the love of God that was born in a manger on that first Christmas Day; and was later poured out on a Roman cross—those who unrepentantly continue in rebellion against their Creator; will face God’s wrath at the final judgment. The Gospel of John says, that "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them."

All that is necessary to be saved from that wrath, is to renounce or “repent” of our sinful rebellion against God; and commit our life to Jesus Christ in faith. This faith is not about something we do. It is about having a heart of loving devotion dedicated to Jesus Christ above all else. Such faith—if it is genuine—always produces a desire to follow and obey him. If you have no desire to obey Jesus, you don’t have biblical saving faith. As the book of James says, faith without works is dead.

This faith does not guarantee freedom from trouble or tragedy in this life—in fact, it may sometimes make life harder—but it does give forgiveness of sins, peace and fellowship with God, a purpose for living, a sense of stability in a turbulent world, and a bright hope for life after death.

In the words of the Gospel of John, Christmas is the time when we remember that God—The Word—became flesh and dwelt among us. And that God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

According to Acts chapter 2, Peter had just finished preaching to a large crowd when he concluded by telling them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you, for the forgiveness of sins…” To anyone here this morning who has not committed their life to Jesus Christ in faith, that would be my plea to you as well.

 

Christmas and miracles

Many people struggle with the miracles in the Christmas story, primarily the virgin birth but also the angelic visits to Joseph, Mary and the shepherds. In this age of science, modern educated people just can’t believe in miracles anymore. Or so we’re told.

Last week, ABC affiliate, KVUE TV in Austin Texas broadcast a story about how eleven year old Roxli Doss came down “an inoperable brain tumor…called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG.” DIPG leads to “decreased ability to swallow, sometimes vision loss, decreased ability to talk and eventually difficulty breathing.” The diagnosis was certain and there was no cure. The report says that “At that point, all Gena and Scott Doss could do was pray for a miracle.”

And that’s what they got! The last time the doctors did a brain scan, all traces of the tumor had vanished. Doctors are amazed and have no explanation. The Doss’s do. They are giving the glory to God! You can read the story here:

This kind of thing is not nearly as unique as many might think. A world-class Biblical scholar, named Craig Keener, traveled around the world collecting first-hand, eyewitness miracles stories and wrote an outstanding two volume book entitled, Miracles. It even contains a devastating critique on the philosophical arguments against miracles. If you have time to read the 1,248 pages I think you will find it to be uplifting, faith-strengthening and intellectually challenging. 

Worship Christ the New-born King

The American Revolution had just begun when six year-old James and his parents left home in England to be missionaries in the West Indies. James’ experience in boarding school was not pleasant, but life went from bad to worse when word came that both of his parents had been killed at their mission post. Sent back to England, James was shuffled from place to place until his teenage years when he set out on his own. After trying to sell his poetry, working various jobs, and spending some time being homeless, he eventually got a job for a radical newspaper. When the editor had to flee the country for publishing material the British government didn’t like, James took over the job. Following in the footsteps of the previous editor, James was later charged with writing an article inciting British people to take sides in the French Revolution. James was sentenced to do jail time.

When he got out, James had still not learned his lesson. Two years later he was again in trouble with the law for writing about a riot by workers in a local mill. The government thought this was contrary to the public interest and sent him back to jail. While in jail this time, he wrote a book called “Prison Amusements.” Much to his surprise, when he got out six months later, his book had become a best seller and he was something of a celebrity. As a devout Christian, he used his paper and new influence to advocate for causes like the plight of chimney sweeps and the abolition of slavery.

He also began using his paper to publish his poems and hymns, which received enthusiastic response. So, in 1816, after re-reading Luke chapter 2 in preparation for writing a Christmas article for his paper, James sat down and began to write,

“Angels from the realms of glory,

Wing your flight o’er all the earth;

Ye who sang creation’s story,

Now proclaim Messiah’s birth!

Come and worship, Come and worship,

Worship Christ the new-born king.”

And that, as Paul Harvey would have said, is the rest of the story about how James Montgomery, an orphaned, once homeless “jailbird” used his talents to write one of the most beloved hymns of the Christmas season.

This Christmas season, while we share in the joy of Christmas greetings and gifts, feasting and family, lights and music--Don’t forget to “Come and worship Christ the new-born king.”

(Re-written based on Stories of Christmas Carols by Ernest Emurian, Baker, 1958)

What a Christmas!

What do you think it was like for Mary to have had to tell her parents and her fiancé, Joseph, that she was pregnant? At first Joseph didn’t believe her and I seriously doubt that her parents did either. I can’t help thinking that there must have been feelings of anger, family disgrace, and gut-wrenching disappointment with Mary. Whether this lasted for days, weeks, or longer we do not know, but it must have been a very difficult “Christmas season” for a young girl like Mary whose reputation was being unjustly trashed! Then there was the three or four day trip to Bethlehem on a donkey or in a wooden cart. That had to be difficult (to say the least) for Mary who was nine months pregnant! And how do you think Mary might have felt when her baby was not born in a nice warm home in a semi-comfortable bed like other babies. He was born in a dirty stable where animals ate, slept and did their business! Finally, Mary and Joseph soon found out that their baby’s life was in danger from the ruthless King Herod. What a Christmas!!!

Someone recently put a sign in one of the restrooms where I work that asks, “How has God blessed you this Christmas?” Ideally, Christmas is a time of happiness and joy—but that is not always the case for many people. For many, the Christmas season is a time of painful memories, disappointments, or difficult family relationships. If Christmas time is hard for you, that doesn’t mean God has forgotten you or is angry with you. Much to our chagrin, God’s blessing sometime comes through suffering, as it did for Mary.

Extraterrestrial life

There is an organization known as the SETI Institute (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) founded by Carl Sagan. This is not some wacko alien conspiracy group but Ph.D. scientists searching disparately for signs of life in outer space.

In my files I have a cartoon depicting two people sitting under a star-lit night sky. One of them says, “I wonder if anybody out there is trying to contact us…”  In the lower right corner of the frame is a drawing of the Ten Commandments. In the next frame, the same person says, “Maybe they’ll visit our planet someday…”  In the lower right corner is a drawing of baby Jesus in the manger.

What SETI searches for, we proclaim—There IS intelligent life in outer space. This is the season when we celebrate how that Life came to live among us, being born in a manger. Happy beginning to your Christmas season!