For the past two Sundays, Eric Thompson has led the 12:30@Eleven community (meets at 11:00 am in Room 137 at New Covenant) in a lively discussion about Christmas. I've kept quiet (because I've noticed when pastors speak up, some people take their word as final, and thus discussion ends. So to encourage others to talk, I don't. :o), but have enjoyed batting the conversation around in my own head.
The first week we read an article by a Christian who thinks Christmas should be eliminated as a nationally recognized holiday. I felt the article was poorly written and thought out. Even if the government didn't make Christmas a recognized holiday, offices stayed open, and the post office delivered mail, I still think there would be a lot of the stress of the season she thinks would disappear. The celebrations of this time of year are just too entrenched right now in our culture.
But it doesn't matter to me if the government calls off Christmas or not. I would still celebrate that Jesus came to earth. I would still ponder the mystery of God becoming human. I would still give gifts to my kids (they each get three gifts from me and LeAnn - a "gold" gift that is "expensive" (on our budget that isn't that much!), a "frankincense" gift designed to help them spiritually this next year, and a "myrrh" gift that is practical for life). We would still decorate a tree because it is so much fun to do together as a family. And we would probably still host our annual Christmas Open House. That was the author's overall point, though. Would Christians still celebrate if the federal government didn't give us the day off?
Then this past week Eric read us a C.S. Lewis essay/parable about Exmas and Crissmas. I thoroughly enjoyed the piece and encourage you to read it. I found it amazing that Lewis probably wrote this around 50 years ago about Christmas in England, and yet it is still so true, at least here in America. Having kids has helped us remember to keep in perspective what Christmas is really all about. We had a good little discussion last night during our weekly family night after watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas" since Charlie Brown yells "Can anybody tell me what Christmas is really all about?!"
And in case you've forgotten yourself, here is what Linus answers Charlie Brown's question with:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:1-20)
2 comments:
There is no call to celebrate Christmas anywhere in God’s Word. Nor do you find any example of Christians ‘doing Christmas’. Now there is a call to celebrate and remember the death and resurrection of Christ and to remember what that means for us (and it’s not called Easter, it’s called communion).
SO, here is my take. The Christmas that is celebrated today in America (and the way most people celebrate Christmas with all it’s added non-Christian elements) is not a ‘Christian’ holiday, but it can still be celebrated without guilt by Christians, just like other non Christian holidays are celebrated by Christians – like the Fourth of July; my family LOVES buying fireworks and making a big dinner and having a big party. It’s fun! We are simply Christians celebrating the Fourth of July. See where I’m going?
Christ is first and foremost in every aspect of our lives – every day -- and not with just a focus on one certain day (a day that is not even *the* actual day that Christ was born – God’s word never tells us the exact day nor does he tell us to celebrate it).
And if you think about it, we don’t have any holidays commemorating Christ’s first miracle. Nobody celebrates ‘Water into Wine’ Day. Nobody celebrates ‘Walking on Water’ Day, or ‘Feed the Hungry Multitudes’ Day, or ‘Choosing the 12 Apostles’ Day, or ‘Got Left Behind in the Temple’ Day, or how about ‘Flipping Over the Money Changer’s Table’ Day? There is no call in God’s word to do any of that, nor is there a call to celebrate His birth – is it not all just as incredible and important?
So yes, we will celebrate Christmas as Christians this year. But we don’t look at it as if it is a ‘holy event’, or even as a ‘Christian event’. We will have fun and get a tree, and sing and cook and give gifts and receive gifts with gratitude, but it will be with the same every-day steady Christian dedication that we have as we celebrate Thanksgiving, the Fourth of July or Labor Day, because our entire lives are already centered on Christ – we take Him with us everywhere and give thanks to HIM for every good thing we have. We are already living Christ every day (or we should be), and remembering all parts of His incredible life on earth.
My previous post was copied from another site that I had just read and does not necessarily reflect my personal opinion.
In our family, we bucked the tradition of Santa bringing gifts. We read the story of Christ's birth from the Bible and are reminded of the significance of the gifts. I love how you have incorporated the 3 gifts(gold, frankensence, and myrrh) into a practical guide for gift giving.
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