Christmas

The word “celebration” implies a “joyous, festive remembrance.” When we celebrate Christmas, we do so with joy because of what God has done in the past. God kept His promise to send into the world His Son Jesus, “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Our celebration of Christ’s birth calls for joyous thanksgiving as we rejoice that “God has visited and redeemed His people” (Luke 1:68).
We celebrate Christmas as the joyous apex of all human history. “Apex” means that Jesus’ birth is the center of all earthly events. All worldly history before His birth was a preparation and expectant waiting for God to send a deliverer for the sins of the world. All earthly history since Christ’s death on the cross, resurrection from the tomb, and ascension into heaven looks back to the great events in Jesus’ life and carries out the divine purpose to proclaim Christ to all the world.
The Christmas events occurred within human history: A decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered (Luke 2:1). Augustus ruled the Roman Empire from 29 B.C. to A.D. 14. This census of the empire took many years to complete. At just the time God intended, Joseph was required to travel to Bethlehem, “because he was of the house and lineage of David” (Luke 2:4). Jesus came into this world of sorrow and sin, born in a stable “because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).
In 2014, our Christmas celebration also is a joyous reality. We celebrate Christmas—not to re-enact this great event, but to thank God for sending His Son to be our Savior from sin and to grow in our faith, trusting that Jesus was born in our world to earn for us “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14). For by God’s will, Jesus paid the costly price to ransom us from our sins by His innocent death on the cross. Jesus promises eternal life to all those who believe on Him as their Savior from sin.
Jesus has prepared a joyous celebration in heaven for all who trust in Him. Jesus promised that He would prepare a place for all His children and return to take them all to heaven (John 14:1-6). There they will celebrate with great joy and peace into eternity. They will not celebrate Christmas in heaven, but will give thanks to the Lamb (Christ) in a new song: “For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9).
Now, our joy of Christmas has a dark cloud hanging over it. Not all people in the world celebrate Christmas with joy, faith, or understanding. Some have never heard the story of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem. Others have heard, but have rejected the idea that Jesus is God’s Son born in human flesh to be the Savior of the world. Many others “celebrate” Christmas with the joy of mammon. We are told repeatedly that children cannot have a good Christmas unless they have presents. People get upset when their Christmas bonuses are too small, when they did not receive the gift they wanted, and when people did not meet their expectations.
Along with our joyful thanksgiving to God for sending us His Son, our Christmas celebration has this added purpose—to share our joy in Christ’s birth with others. This can be done through sending cards and gifts to friends and neighbors; through sending out a Christmas letter that explains why Christ’s birth is so important to all people; through singing the hymns and carols of Christmas to the elderly in nursing homes, to the sick in hospitals, and even to the public in shopping malls; through inviting people to Christmas services; and through celebrating Christmas until January 6th, which is the “Gentile Christmas.”
Celebrating Christmas does not mean that we must always smile, must always be bubbly and merry, for we live in a sin-corrupt world that will impact our lives with temptations and trials, disappointments and disasters. But in spite of all these negatives, our Christmas celebration can give us peace of mind, knowing that Jesus was born to set us free from sin and its punishment; give us a certain happiness, knowing that Christ was born to reconcile us to God; and give us hope, knowing that those who believe in Jesus have forgiveness and eternal life. May our celebration of Christmas be a truly joyful one this year.
Theodore Gullixson is an ELS pastor emeritus living in Mankato, Minnesota.