The Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus is seriously overshadowed and compounded by the obsessive/compulsive societal scream not to transgress the mythical political boundary which is so desperately enforced so no one mistakenly treads into the church and state debacle. Moreover, the commercial relevance to the market place has driven the meaning of Christmas underground, as if a real Savior was an heretical concept compared to Santa!! Two questions come to mind: (1) How did we evolve into a people who harbor a fearfulness of and a callousness toward the truth, and (2) What is the true sense in understanding the Christian view of God saving His people from their sins or the real meaning of Christmas?
Let us fore-go the "paganism" argument for a December 25th date and dismiss the "holiday" theme tradition as these only shroud the answer to question One - How did all of this come to be? None of the removal of nativities, the greeting "Merry Christmas," changing of Christmas Season to "Holiday Season," or need for diversity at this time of year came swiftly. No, No!!! It followed a trail through the slow, methodical, and repetitious drumbeat that God was an irrelevant and or nonexistent being who inhibits man's freedom of expression coupled with the idea of an Incarnation of a Deity through the miraculous conception with the Virgin named Mary of His (It/She - depends on what is in vogue) Only Begotten Son was too unbelievable. Over decades and centuries, the "no Creator" concept gained a foothold in Western Civilization through haters of organized religion such as the French philosopher Voltaire and the insanity of the "God is Dead" mantra courtesy of Fredrick Nietzsche. And add an American twist with the ACLU challenging Christmas at every turn and you have a society afraid to withstand the assault of these legal mischief makers and the cowardice of true believers to stand up for truth.
Though the response to our first question was brief, it should suffice to recognize that the demise of any society starts with the removal of the Gospel - a deliberate act of holy sedition as depicted in Romans 1:18b: http://read.ly/Rom1.18.ESV
The second question gives perspective and context to the need for a supernatural special birth which actually grants forgiveness, imputes grace, and ultimately redeems many of lapsed humanity from the fatal spiritual birth defect -- sin towards God. Now the general sense in rendering the authentic meaning of Christmas is depicted in John 13:3: http://read.ly/John13.3.ESV -- SAY WHAT??? Yes, it is the picture of Jesus knowing that His Father had given Him all things and that He not only came from the Father but would one day soon return. When we continue reading, the King, humbling Himself as a servant is washing the dirty feet of His disciples--but be patient and consider the following as I surround us with the most awe inspiring display of love never found in mere mortals.
The Star Trek theme broadcasts "...to go where no man has gone before." That makes a compelling and interesting hook to imagine life beyond the realm of earth. I have chosen four nouns to represent the magnitude of the birth which caused shepherds to hear angelic choirs. These are SIGNIFICANCE, IMPORTANCE, SUBSTANCE, and IMPLICATION.
We begin by noting God, in eternity past opened the celestial portals, through prophets, to reveal His plans and decrees. Here is the SIGNIFICANCE of His work. The majesty of God becoming man -- http://read.ly/1.Peter1.20.ESV along with verse 21 stipulates that God in the Trinity set the time, manner, and place of redemption's story.
The next word, IMPORTANCE, clarifies the purity of the birth -- no man could father the Son of God. Again, the prophets of old foretold that a "virgin" would be the bearer of God's choicest love (Isaiah 7:14). The Magnificat in Luke 1 is Mary's response that imparts the surprise and humility of the blessed maiden as Gabriel explained what was about to occur.
The SUBSTANCE defines who Jesus was in relation to deity and humanity. http://read.ly/Hebrews10.5-15.ESV and http://read.ly/John1.14.ESV.
He came in a body prepared for Him so that He might dwell among mankind. This was due to the issue of being the Passover Lamb -- the One without blemish -- the only impeccable offering that would truly appease the rightful and justified wrath of our Holy God.
Our last point of truth brings with it the IMPLICATIONS to the One called "The Way." During His 3 years of ministry, Jesus proclaimed Himself: I AM, The Good Shepherd, The Great Physician, The Door, The Way, The Truth, and The Life. The last three declarations have a caveat that summarily defines the implications: "...No one comes to the Father except through me." Therefore, eternity hangs in the balance. Consider rejection of the Son as blasphemy to the Father http://read.ly/Isaiah46.8-11.ESV
Born of a Virgin, so that His blood would be a pure offering for our sins, lived a life without ANY sin http://read.ly/2Corinthians5.21.ESV set examples for His disciples to imitate, then He voluntarily died, was resurrected, and now sits at the right hand of the Father!!! The Meaning Of Christmas is clearly evident for those who through faith, believe. And as these believers are maturing into discerning people, they will follow the example (not for purposes of merit but for pleasing God) and be humble in their minds and manifest a servant hood mindset that no action is beyond obedience and glorifying God -- even washing another's feet, etc.
Whom shall I fear? http://read.ly/Matthew10.26-28.ESV
