The day is nearly here – you know, the day that the retail outlets started touting in displays back in October; the day that generates more revenue, stress, and debt than any other day – Christmas is here! Oh, how I long for that long-lost child’s excitement and magic of Christmas; instead I hold hardships of planning, preparing, and purchasing.
Christmas is amazing, though. Aside from the primary purpose of the day (i.e. celebrating the birth of Jesus), this one day crosses into secular territory, encompasses believers and non-believers together in mutual traditions and rituals, and gives the masses a day or two off of work. This day has brought mythology to life, even propelling it above the reason for the celebration. Furthermore, this day tends to make people remember how fortunate they are, lends to generous offerings to less fortunate, and makes for great parties.
Is this what it should be? Should Christmas be this blending of pagan rituals with faith-based traditions, inter-twined with a modern incarnation of shopping frenzy? Although I pose that question, I cannot answer it. I assume that the answer is really whatever you want it be.
As for me, Christmas is a time of family get-togethers, eating too much food, and cleaning up shredded paper. Unfortunately my Christmas is more secular than it is a time of remembrance, celebration, and thanksgiving for God’s grace through Christ Jesus. This year I hope to change this a little; I hope that we openly discuss why we are together, what it is we are celebrating, and the importance of the baby in the manager.
Josh
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
2010-12-05 -- First Christmas
Let’s set a scene here:
Time: Between 6 and 4 BC; Location: Bethlehem; Cast: A young couple among many others; Setting: Village preparing for the census.
In these days, Caesar Augustus declared that the entire world should be registered. Joseph, the husband of the young couple, was of the house and lineage of David and therefore had to travel to Bethlehem to be registered with his wife, Mary. At this time, Mary happened to be well into gravidity with, as the world would find out later, the most influential and significant person the world has ever known – the Incarnate, the Messiah, the Savior of the World, King of Kings and Lord of Lords – Jesus (Yeshua) the Christ.
Upon arrival in Bethlehem, the young couple sought room and board. However, room and board was not easy to come by; the village was abuzz with commerce like it had most likely never seen before. As a result, the local Holiday Inn was full up. Despite the young woman’s extreme prego condition, nobody really paid attention to them, nor did anyone offer to give up their accommodations. Honesty, nobody probably even gave it a thought; there was much to do – much food to prepare, chores to be done, preparation for the registering of the people, etc.
Little to anyone’s imagination, the greatest gift to the world was set to arrive during all the hustle and bustle. With no available rooms, the young couple happened to find shelter in a storage facility for animals (possibly either a stable or a cave). In this animal sanctuary, God’s grace took its first earthly breath – a baby was born, and He was called Immanuel.
At this moment, the young woman is holding her son: a gift from God given for all people. Her son is her Lord. A teenage girl is holding God’s plan in swaddling rags. Oh, how the emotions run. Does she understand the significance of her son? Not completely. How could she?
Do you understand the significance of her son? Matthew 1:21 sums it up nicely as an angel of the Lord is speaking to Joseph: “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." Do you believe? Do you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior? If you have not already done so, will you at least consider asking Him into your life? Take time this advent season to remember the reason for the season and receive the greatest gift of all.
Josh
Time: Between 6 and 4 BC; Location: Bethlehem; Cast: A young couple among many others; Setting: Village preparing for the census.
In these days, Caesar Augustus declared that the entire world should be registered. Joseph, the husband of the young couple, was of the house and lineage of David and therefore had to travel to Bethlehem to be registered with his wife, Mary. At this time, Mary happened to be well into gravidity with, as the world would find out later, the most influential and significant person the world has ever known – the Incarnate, the Messiah, the Savior of the World, King of Kings and Lord of Lords – Jesus (Yeshua) the Christ.
Upon arrival in Bethlehem, the young couple sought room and board. However, room and board was not easy to come by; the village was abuzz with commerce like it had most likely never seen before. As a result, the local Holiday Inn was full up. Despite the young woman’s extreme prego condition, nobody really paid attention to them, nor did anyone offer to give up their accommodations. Honesty, nobody probably even gave it a thought; there was much to do – much food to prepare, chores to be done, preparation for the registering of the people, etc.
Little to anyone’s imagination, the greatest gift to the world was set to arrive during all the hustle and bustle. With no available rooms, the young couple happened to find shelter in a storage facility for animals (possibly either a stable or a cave). In this animal sanctuary, God’s grace took its first earthly breath – a baby was born, and He was called Immanuel.
At this moment, the young woman is holding her son: a gift from God given for all people. Her son is her Lord. A teenage girl is holding God’s plan in swaddling rags. Oh, how the emotions run. Does she understand the significance of her son? Not completely. How could she?
Do you understand the significance of her son? Matthew 1:21 sums it up nicely as an angel of the Lord is speaking to Joseph: “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." Do you believe? Do you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior? If you have not already done so, will you at least consider asking Him into your life? Take time this advent season to remember the reason for the season and receive the greatest gift of all.
Josh
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