CHRIST IS STILL IN CHRISTMAS

Luke 2:10-12  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

 It happens every year.  It starts up when the big stores start putting up the artificial trees, the lights and other decorations.  It is as prevalent as the new rash of holiday specials that run alongside the Grinch, Frosty, Rudolph, and the Peanuts’ pathetic tree.  It is the controversy of whether businesses and people can say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays.”

 I do understand people that want to be sensitive to those who are not of the Christian faith.    Hindus celebrate Diwali, a festival of light and color around this time. Jews, of course, have Hanukah.  Equal rights proponents still have the seven nights of Kwanza, and I don’t even know if the Muslims, Shinto, Pagan, Wiccan, Norse, and Pantheists might have their own holidays that don’t get much press.  So, I can see that some might think that saying “Merry Christmas” might be forcing our faith and belief on someone else.

 However, businesses rarely celebrate Christmas anyway.  Stores, as a group, don’t have any provision for Christmas.  In fact, most people in the United States, and throughout the world, Christian and non-Christian, don’t even celebrate Christmas.  They enjoy the annual festival of Yule.  You’ve never heard of it.  I bet you have enjoyed it since you were born.

 You see Yule is celebrated with tinsel and fake snow, sleighs and reindeer, elves on shelves and jolly fat men named Kris Kringle.  Yule includes logs, eggnog, hot apple cider, and annoying sweet fruit cake.  Yule is, and always shall be, the peripheral pomp and circumstance that grew up around Christmas itself, like strip centers and fast food places spring up around mega-malls.

 Christmas is Jesus Christ Himself.  As the original proclamation of Christmas delivered by the angels to the shepherds, the sign, the center, the one and only reason for the night, the day, the holiday, the season before and after is the birth of that Savior, that Messiah, that Son of David, to save His people.  Those who are worried about Christ slipping from Christmas are actually getting the argument wrong.  There is no Christmas without Christ.  Christ must be born, the promise must be kept, the Messiah must come to suffer and die, for Christmas to exist.

 Yule can come and go, and will go on.  The stores and credit card companies will see to that, but don’t let that stop you from wading through it to get to the joy of welcoming Jesus once more.  And while stores may want to say, “Happy Holidays,” don’t let that stop you from wanting everyone to know of the true Gift of life and love given on December 25th.  Why should we not want everyone to see the true joy of receiving Jesus Christ this year?  Forget the declaration of Yule, and shout even louder, “MERRY CHRISTMAS!”

In His peace,   

Pastor Red