Redeeming Christmas

 “I love it and I hate it.”  

The Christmas season that is.

It’s my favorite time of the year and yet it drives me crazy. It’s a world of contradictions in my head and in my heart.

So Much To Love

There is so much to love about it! First and foremost is the reflection on the first Advent of Jesus Christ. The story of His birth and reminders of how much God the Father loved this world of sinners brings the deepest joy.  True Life and the Light to all man, born in a manger in a small village.  Immanuel, God with us, coming in peace and offering the free gift of grace to all who believe.

Christmas carols in every store, on every station, proclaiming the name of Jesus. Decorations galore popping up all around. Snowy nights and warm fires. Family coming together to celebrate and feast. Christmas parties. The hustle and bustle of last minute shopping. Giving of gifts. Candy canes…yum! The list can go and on! It’s a great time of the year.

So Much To Hate

There is so much to hate about this season. The commercialization of the birth of Christ drives people to spend their savings for the next best thing. Instead of love for each other, the willingness to trample someone to get a better spot in line. The insatiable greed of the receiver. The lack of gratitude. The attitude of entitlement. Mythological stories to distract from Christ, like Santa Claus.

Perhaps the truth about my consternation is self-reflective. It is the greed and selfishness that has crept into my own heart that has distracted me from the true meaning of Christmas. I first began to realize this as a young boy when my grandma got me second hand polyester clip on ties, faux turtlenecks, and a ugly sweater vest. I wanted the newest He-Man toy and all I got was some ugly clothes. My parents told me to thank my grandma, but I could hardly look at her. I did muster a slight, “thank you grandma,” but I wasn’t very thankful.

After a while I began to settle down and realize how selfish and ungrateful I was. Before we left grandma’s house, I was able to give her a big hug and tell her I loved her. But I will forever be reminded of how I put my selfish greed above the giver.

“MORE”

The reality is that God knew I was an awful sinner, dead in my trespasses and only desire was selfish, when He gave the first Christmas gift. It was to an entire world of ungrateful, selfish children, who scream “MORE” after opening each gift. No concern for the Giver, only a desire to have fallen appetites quenched for a moment.

Even the world realizes this and comes up with ways to curb the bad attitudes by saying Santa is “making a list and checking it twice, He’s gonna find out who is naughty or nice!” Yet our entire festive season is building toward self-gratification and selfishness.

Joy Unspeakable 

 Yet Jesus came, not to indulge our selfishness, but to overcome it! Santa maybe making a list, but Jesus came to destroy the list. We cannot quantify the love of Christ by a list of good or bad deeds. Even if we could be really really good, we still fall short of His perfection (Romans 3:23). On your best day, the day you have no bad thoughts, the day you put others before yourself every time, when you speak only kind words and never lose your temper, the day you give all your money to the poor guy on the corner and you attend mid-week prayer meeting, even on that day your good deeds are like a dirty diaper to Jesus (Isaiah 64:6). But Jesus came into our mess to clean us up! He wants us to know that He loves us so much (John 3:16).

When we think about the list, we miss the point. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Jesus took our naughty list and nailed it to the cross and dressed us in righteousness! Christmas is the time we should celebrate the provision that God made for us and how we can reflect that to the entire world! Take joy in the God of your Salvation (Habakkuk 3:18).

Redeeming Christmas

I’m learning that I don’t have to wrestle with the love-hate of this season. I can celebrate in freedom and in truth, because the Son has set me free! When I see that Jesus is the foundation for this season and my focus is on communicating Him in all things, it becomes the most joyful time of year. The warmth of family reminds me that I have been adopted into His forever family. The Christmas meals reminds me that I have been invited to feast at God’s table for eternity. The gifts I receive remind me of God’s generous gift in the cradle. The gifts I give help me understand that “it is better to give then to receive,” because in doing so I imitate my God.

Why should I waste my time getting depressed at the evidence of sin around me, when Jesus came to overcome that sin. Enjoy Christmas, see the victory Christ has already won. Only through faith can we see the full joy we can have in the Christmas season and everyday.

So during the hustle and bustle of Christmas week, as you are planning your parties, finishing your shopping and baking your foods, remember to stop and reflect on the One who left heaven, came as a babe, went to the cross, died, was buried and rose again so you can be accepted. He did this to spend time with you. Make the most of the time you have, spend it with Jesus!