After a recent worship and prayer meeting, a friend and I marveled at how the presence of God permeated the traditional Christmas Carols we sang. They reminded us of the glory, wonder, and gift of the incarnation of Jesus. We were also astonished by the stark contrast this was to what we had both experienced earlier that week. We had attended “Winter Concerts” that our granddaughters participated in for their public schools. We painfully noticed that throughout each presentation, there was not a single song about Jesus. Christ had been literally taken out of Christmas. I grieved as I recalled how each December at my elementary school, we sang all Jesus-oriented Christmas Carols and gathered in the gym as the principal read the Christmas story from the Bible. My Jewish father never protested. My Syrian friend’s parents weren’t offended. Yet, over the decades, we’ve seen Jesus, God, and the Bible banished from public expression. We’ve seen the tragic results in our god-forsaken culture. What a joy to have hope restored as Donald Trump says, “We must protect content that is pro-God. We must defend God in the public square… And we will proudly say, ‘Merry Christmas’ again.”
We hope that America will bring God back to the public schools and the public square and bring Christ back into Christmas with all of the spiritual significance of His Advent. Advent means arrival, coming into being, or the Incarnation, the union of divinity with humanity in Jesus Christ. Advent is also the four weeks leading up to Christmas, celebrated with lighting four candles of hope, peace, joy, and love. Advent culminates in a fifth Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Christ Candle.
Separating Christmas from Christ robs us of hope, peace, joy, and love. As we keep Christ in Christmas, we receive Christ, Emmanuel, God with us, born in us. Jesus came to earth to bring:
HOPE "A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices" - O Holy Night Hope is the joyful anticipation of good. Our hope in God and His promises is not mere wishful thinking but a firm assurance based on faith in the one who is faithful.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Heb 11:1
And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts. Romans 5:5
Hope in worldly things can disappoint, but with advent, believers have “Christ in you bringing with him the hope of all glorious things to come.” Col 1:27
Christmastime can toss us around from frenetic activity or drown us in waves of emotional distress. But those who put Christ foremost in Christmas “have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:18-19
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
PEACE "Peace on the earth, goodwill to men, from heaven's all-gracious King" - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (Luke 2:14)
Jesus is the Prince of Peace who came to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. When he left this world to return to heaven, He told us:
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Now may the Lord of peace Himself grant you His peace (the peace of His kingdom) at all times and in all ways [under all circumstances and conditions, whatever comes]. 2 Thess 3:16
JOY “O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant” - O Come All Ye Faithful
It’s a tragedy to see so many joyless expressions during the Christmas season. We’ve said “Joy to the World” but separated it from “The Lord is Come.” Without Jesus, there is no true joy. All we have is short-lived, circumstantial, temporary happiness at best. With Jesus, we can “rejoice in the Lord always.” Phil 4:4
Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10
When we find our joy in Jesus, we are strengthened and renewed by his presence.
In Your presence there is fullness of Joy. Psalm 16:11
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:11
LOVE “And wonders of His love, and wonders of His love, and wonders, wonders of His love” - Joy To The World
Love was the motivation for Jesus coming down to us. God so wanted to be with us that he stepped out of heaven to earth as Emmanuel, God with us.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. John 3:16
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God… for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world. 1 John 1:7-9
God wanted an extended family to love, so He sent Jesus to be the “firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:29. Jesus became a newborn so that we might become born again as his brothers.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1
Jesus came to earth to give us hope, peace, joy, and love. He rose to heaven and sent us His Spirit to live in us, yielding the fruit of the Spirit, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Gal 5:22-23
We can be afraid of not getting presents right, how we’re going to pay for them, or how we negotiate our families during the holidays (holy-days.) But, our greatest fear should be missing out on Christ during Christmas.
Comments