Some Christmas thoughts- Is our celebration an insult to Jesus?
Is it right to celebrate Christmas ? This question is relevant coz we see a large and a steadily growing segment of Christians who indisputably believe in Christ is thinking and preaching these days that celebrating Christmas is something an ungodly or sinful act.
Why should we celebrate Christmas ? Jesus is alpha and omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Bible says ‘’God’s son was before all else and by him everything is held together’’. If Jesus has no begin, it may seems absurd to celebrate His birthday. But when we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate the most important event that has ever taken place on this earth, the event of God coming down to earth to live among His creations. Second, if we celebrate birthdays of our dear ones like sons, daughters, parents, siblings, friends etc., then we have every right as well as duty to celebrate the one whom we profess to love the most, our own savior, our very hope and future. And to the question of 25th Dec or any other day (like Coptic Christians celebrate in January), to me the particular date is of no relevance, coz we are celebrating an event which is the cornerstone of our faith, an event which is important enough to feel joy about. Finally, it is not ungodly or sin to celebrate, Jesus himself participated in celebrations.
Joyful event. God’s angel said ‘’I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people’’.
How it is the great event? It is great for many reasons. First of all it was reconciliation of two worlds, the earth and the heaven, God and His people, the sinner and the Most Holy. ‘’You used to be far from God , your thought made you his enemies and you did evil things. Thru Jesus , he made us acceptable and able to stand before him’’. In the parable of prodigal son, we could see this joy of reunion. The father reaches out lovingly to his son who came back to home and tell his elder son it was an absolute necessity to rejoice and be merry because your brother was dead and is alive again, was lost and is found God. It is great coz when every other god came to exterminate the sinners, Jesus came to save the sinners. It is great coz Christmas mark the most humble event that could ever happen on the earth, that is God coming down to us and want to live amongst us rather than asking us to make a strenuous journey by climbing up hills or mountain caves or other places. It is great coz it brought a promise of heaven not by r our merits of deeds and rituals but for His Grace based on faith in Him. It is a great event coz it was fulfillment of many prophesies and promises. When we celebrate, it is also time to draw some lessons from people who played some important role in facilitating this event to happen.
Jesus’s mother Mary. To me she is the most honored woman on the earth coz she was chosen by The All Mighty God for a role unique to herself. The angel of God went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”’’ Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God’’ and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women’’ Anyone who take great pain and effort to demolish Mary of her honored position should not overlook these word of God .
Why God found favour with Mary ? What is her greatness? Her greatness was her humbleness, her unflinching faith in believing the word of God and her obedience and submission to the will of God . Bible says ‘’ he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant…. he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts., He has brought down rulers … but has lifted up the humble’’.
Shepherd. This is yet another example of how God sees or use people. It was to a lowly placed, rough, dirty group of shepherds, simple, unlearned, poor illiterate lot with nothing to bring as offerings , the outcasts of society, that were found to be worthy by God to hear for the first time the most glorious announcement of joy and hope that was ever made to humanity. Shepherds have a special place and role in God’s view. Abel was the first shepherd we see who found favor with God.
Wise men. Birth of Jesus Christ, an occasion of joy for all the humanity, was revealed to the wise men too. While shepherds had only worship to offer to their Lord , the wise men brought valuable gifts to the Lord. But we should not overlook the reasons that makes lowly shepherds doing an excellent job than the respected wise men. While the shepherds who followed the guidance of God’s angel reaches and find Jesus without any distraction, the wise men who followed the star , applied their worldly wisdom and logic and thought King of Israel must have been born in a Palace . They had knowledge but lacked the discernment to know who is Lord’s follower or enemy . Their logical thinking did not take them to right destination, they lost their true path , do the foolish thing of announcing the birth of Christ to the enemy of Christ and become a cause for murder of many innocent kids, they become instruments to turn a great joyous occasion to that of weeping and mourning. Isaiah says ‘’Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you’’ Interestingly I happened to read in one prominent Malayalam daily one Church head who had his horoscope written and found to have ‘raja yogam’ justifying his act of believing in such things by citing the example of magi going to see Jesus looking by the star! God warns thru Isaiah ‘’ You were fooled by your wisdom and knowledge’’ ‘’ People who trusts the stars are as helpless as straw in a flaming fire.’’ While shepherds returned glorifying and praising Lord for all the things what they heard and seen and become the first-ever preachers of the Gospel, the Wise men finally saw Jesus but left quietly, even today praising Jesus is a matter of shame to many wise, high and mighty.
King Herod. He said to magi “Go and search …. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” He pretends like a follower and admirer of Christ but inside the heart is enemy of Christ. Herod too gives us a warning . We should not blindly trust and follow everyone who feign to be follower of Christ but should have the discernment to identify true shepherds from the phony ones.
Jesus. The person , the object of everything about Christmas. Who is Jesus in our life ? There are many names of Jesus, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, a good teacher, a messiah , a prophet and so on and to some wise-men he is like yet another god. For others he is Son of God , who came down to become son of man to restore us to the family of God thru faith in Him. What we believe about Jesus Christ ultimately determines how we live on this planet called Earth and where we live eternally.
Is our Christmas celebration an insult to Jesus? . How could our celebration may turn out to be an insult to Jesus or a meaningless and unacceptable ritual ? Suppose it were your birthday, And all your friends would come, and bring their presents too, share the gifts amongst them , enjoyed the feast, make merry and go leaving you unnoticed , uncared. It could be the greatest insult to you. It is the same when we celebrate Christmas without no place for Christ in the whole merry. After all, Jesus is the reason for the season. Christmas is all about Jesus. Christmas is above all things a celebration of the birth of Christ as son of man on this earth. It is a meaningless ritual when there is no place for Jesus in our life. Every year, when the media report new record in sales of liquor in Christmas, New Year and Easter , the Jesus is insulted amongst the gentiles. About Him, it is said ‘’Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on … with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever’’ . Those who create chaos , ruin the peace, pervert truth and turn justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness and celebrate Christmas, it is surely an insult to Jesus. God tell thru His prophet Hosea in chap14 ‘’ I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. 22 Even though you bring me .. offerings .. I will not accept them. …. I will have no regard for them. … I will not listen to the music of your harps’’ Then he tells what is pleasing to God ‘’ let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream’’ When magi found Jesus, Bible says, they returned by another route. One who found Jesus has to change their path, from crookedness to a straight path, has to have a born again experience in their life and can’t live an unrighteous , deceitful life as before.
When we have no room for Jesus. More than 2000 years ago the Creator came to His creations but had no room for him in an inn. Some 200 years ago a poorly dressed farmer approached the Baltimore's largest hotel for a room, but the manager who thought that his lowly appearance would discredit his Inn, chased him away. But another hotel was gracious to allow him in. Shortly thereafter, the manager discovered that the man he had refused lodging was Thomas Jefferson, then Vice President of the United States. Immediately he sent a note of invitation to him, but this time Jefferson turned down his offer and replied " if he has no place for a dirty American farmer, he has none for the Vice President of the United States." In much the same way, after more than 2,000 years, Jesus is still knocking at the door, appearing as a hungry, thirsty, naked, stranger ,sick, justice denied, mistreated or persecuted person , but many still turn Him away with "No room available " and celebrate Christmas in pomp and style, give Christmas wishes, messages, exchange gifts amongst them, sing carols, feast, drink etc causing Jesus to grieve. Those who have no room for Him today, there will be a day He will shut the door at their face. Let each one of us be one who has a room for Him now so that He will graciously welcome us in on that day when He come as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Wish you all the Joy and peace of a Merry Christmas
sajan