Christmas...

What is the true meaning of Christmas?

Is it Jingle Bells, presents, Santa Claus, even telling the "Christmas Story?" Is the meaning of Christmas donating and sharing our resources with one another and those less fortunate?

I would argue that these might be pieces of Christmas, but that Christmas itself is a celebration. A celebration that began at the fall of man, when God told the serpent in Genesis 3:15 that Jesus would come and bring God and man together again (thanks for that reminder, Pastor Bruce). A celebration of relationship renewal; a celebration, really, of the birth that "ended" in Life Everlasting, our Living Love, Justice Himself hung between two thieves, died there, was buried in a rich man's unused tomb, rose again, and resultantly that we are here today, not needing to hang on crosses ourselves.

As Pastor Bruce stated yesterday, "God came into this world through a birth canal... just like one of us." And this, indeed, is the miracle of Christmas. That God, Who abhors sin, would come down from heaven, out of eternity and pureness of love, justice, and grace, and become part of that which He created in order to redeem sinful humanity from our sin... came at such a time as to die in the most horrendous imaginable way for our most horrendous sin... this is the meaning, ultimately, of Christmas. We usually celebrate this part of His life on earth at Easter, but really, it is the message of both... Jesus was much more than just a cute little baby born like a lamb in a stable, laid in a manger. Yes, He was a lamb, so this is fitting... He was and is the Lamb of God; the ultimate sacrifice to replace the yearly lamb sacrifices of the Old Testament. But He was more; so much more. He was God in a womb; God on a cross; He was an still is God walking and talking with you and I. He was a gift, and He gave us the gifts of life eternal and of the Holy Spirit, Who in turn gives us gifts, as well. The Ultimate Gift of God, His Very Self in human form, is the meaning of Christmas...

So as you share your turkey, your Chinese food, or tamales with loved ones or alone... As you share gifts, memories, stories, laughter, readings from the Bible, and love... keep in mind that none of this would be possible if God had not come down to be amongst us. He is among us even today if we will allow His presence in; He is the center of Christmas, and the CROSS is the center of Who He Is. Without the sacrificial atonement of the cross, He wouldn't have been here; and without it, neither would we be here. He took our place on this most unimaginable and cruel torture device... a death so cruel that Roman citizens were never placed there because of how slow the death is; how excruciating the pain; and these are what we still, to this day, deserve because we are wretches... but for those who are in Christ, we are wretches saved by grace.

Mercy makes a sentence more lenient; grace replaces one person for another in an unmerited and just way. It is said that those who center on anything other than the cross within Christianity are those who are afraid of its true implications: that man is sinful, and thus that they are. People have more issues with pride than with low self esteem, despite how many texts there are out there concerning raising self esteem. But if our self esteem is based in God esteem... if we base who we are in what He has done for us, rather than our own "accomplishments," then we will come to understand more and more what it is to truly serve and love Him Who served and loved us while we were still filthy with sin.

The challenge I pose this year is one that many will likely balk at. But those who love Christ and truly want to know Him more... those Who know they are among the "once filthy with sin," who want to share Christ's love and the true meaning of the season of Christmas with others... they will prayerfully consider it, I believe. And the challenge is this:

Christmas is a time to repent and renew ones' self within God; it is a time to walk down to the foot of the CROSS, humbly, awe-filled, repentant, open to cleansing, revelation, grace, sacrificial love.

Christmas is a time to remember that God became one of us in the same way we were... He chose to come through a birth canal; to be raised by imperfect parents in an imperfect and hostile world; to learn a trade, be taught the ways of His people, and to walk among His creation, observing firsthand what it is like to be human. He was tempted; He got tired, thirsty, hungry, felt pain so overwhelming none of us could imagine it. He knew what it was like to not want to do something, but He did it anyway... because He loves us. God knew all sins from throughout all of time would need atoning for... all sin that we would repent of, confess, be delivered from. And He died for the people who created that sin; chose that sin. He came and died on the cross of Calvary in order to restore relationships between God and humanity, man and woman... to restore every relationship possibly imaginable.

Christmas is a time to forgive others, forgive ourselves, and seek forgiveness for when and where we have been wrong. It is a time for making amends, for extending the hand of friendship, help, love where God calls us to do so.

Christmas is a time to remind one another of the great sacrificial grace and love that was extended to us on a hill long ago by someone who was truly God and fully man.... Those who don't believe Jesus was both, or who believed He didn't really die on the cross; those who believe He was just a good man who died... they are as in need of prayer now as anytime; and Christmas is a good time to remember the sacrifice God made on behalf of these people as well as those who already believe. Think about it... if Christ wasn't truly both God and man we are all truly doomed and God is made a liar, His promises null and void. Thank God He sent His Son, His very self in human form, to save us from ourselves! To save us from our pride and otherwise sinful self, and forgave us despite all our wretchedness. And Christmas is a time to share that message with others! The message of the birth, as well as of the cross. For without one, there cannot have been the other...

We are to be the lips of Christ when we pray, the hands of Christ when we reach out our hand, the ear of Christ when someone needs a listening ear, the feet of Christ when action must be taken... this Christmas and always.