Christmas Season
Tis’ the season to be jolly, as the old carol goes. However, my newsfeeds on my social media platforms are showing me a different story.
You can feel the hate. It seems that people could find different reasons to start an argument. Here are typical examples:
“Why did you use X?”
“Why did you sing Santa Claus is coming to town?”
“Why do you celebrate on the 25th?”
Some do have valid points and I agree with some of them. For example, I’m not too fond of the commercialism of Christmas. Here’s why:
Some people are getting in debt to celebrate
Godparents fear the occasion
Some people take advantage of the season to get something out of people
People forget that the Gospel is the reason for the celebration
I can go on
The Irony
We commercialise Christmas and make everything fancy. When we receive a gift, we look at the brand. We look at the price tag. We feel upset when we don’t receive the gift that we wanted. We feel envy when others receive better presents.
We forget that the first Christmas was when God humbled Himself and took the form of His lowly creation.
He chose the form of the weakest creature on the planet, an infant.
He didn’t have room in the inn to be born in; He had a manger.
Enemies did whatever it took to kill Him.
We’re missing the context behind Christmas, and we need to bring it back. I think these verses explain the message of Christmas beautifully:
John 3:16
New International Version (NIV)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Christmas is a celebration of how our God took the lowly form of His creation so that He could sacrifice His earthly life to save humanity from hell. That is salvation.
John 10:10
New International Version (NIV)
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I (Jesus) have come that they may have life and have it to the full.
On top of salvation, Jesus also gave us the power to overcome the challenges of life and live abundantly when He died on the cross.
That my friends are what Christmas is all about. The celebration of the birth of a Saviour.
New Year
In the same way, Christians are missing the point of Christianity as well. I’m hoping we can start over and do better as Christians in 2020.
What’s happening?
We use the word of God to express hate
We start arguments online
We think people who don’t do what we do is not deserving of Jesus
Christianity is not about all that. Our desire to be like Jesus is turning us into the exact opposite of Jesus. We’re becoming self-righteous and judgmental of others. We’re growing to be the Pharisees and Sadducees of the new generation.
Jesus was never like that. Jesus was all about loving God and loving people. He reached out to sinners with love. He expressed the will of God without hate.
Jesus had fellowship with unbelievers, thieves, tax collectors and prostitutes.
Let’s bring back the context of Christianity for the new year.
Ephesians 5:1-2
Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Walk in love, brothers and sisters. Walk in love. That’s what Christianity is all about. Love God. Love people.
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