There is always much excitement once Thanksgiving passes, as so many people throughout the world look forward to Christmas. Christmas, a holiday, a truly holy day and yet so many forget about what this celebration is all about. Presents, gifts, the madness, the commotion, yet where is Christ in all of this? Children anticipating the coming of Santa Clause, placing the milk and cookies out and the carrots for the reindeer. Yes, these things do have some value in them, however Christmas has turned into a holiday of materialism and commercialism. The gift giving is good, but has been overdone and is now the sole focus of this day, driving many completely over the edge as it controls their minds and souls.
Christmas is about the incarnation, the coming of God in human form, born as a babe. Jesus, the Christ--the anointed one, was born into the world, this being the beginning of the road to salvation. Emmanuel, meaning God is with us, did truly become an immanent part of human history living with and among His people. Christmas is the celebration and the remembrance, or a re-living or the experience of the birth of the Son of God. By the power of the Holy Spirit our Lord was conceived in the womb of Mary, the Mother of God. The Gospels tell us that Joseph, the man Mary was betrothed to did not want to shame his future wife as he had not had relations with her and knew of her pregnancy. Therefore Joseph was going to divorce her quietly, but behold he had a vision from an angel that told him that Mary conceived the babe by the power of God's Spirit. The angel told Joesph to name the babe, the son of David, Jesus, the one who was to free His people from their sins. The infant John, that is John the Baptist, leaped in his mother's womb when in the presence of Mary who carried the Christ. These are the events before the birth that we should remember, as Jesus did bring JOY to the world and eventually freed us from slavery to sin, with His selfless act of love, dying on the cross. The Birth (Christmas), the death (Crucifixiion) and the Resurrection are all vital parts of Christian history and salvation which need to be remembered by us, the people of God in a manner where we give the Lord all glory and honor. Christmas is about family, it is about, communion, it is about the coming together of the Church--the body of Christ. Make sure this Christmas you remember what we are celebrating, the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior, Lord, and King. The incarnation, God taking on the flesh to be with us, live for us, and ultimately love us in the greatest way possible. By keeping Christ in Christmas your joy to will be made complete on this sacred day in the advent season.
No comments:
Post a Comment