Straight Talk About Christmas
It is time for some straight talk about Christmas. In recent years there has been some controversy over public institutions using the term “Happy Holidays” in lieu of the term Merry Christmas.
In some places there have been controversies surrounding nativity scenes on courthouse squares, sacred Christmas carols being sung in public schools and other similar episodes.
The common complaint is that Christmas has become secularized or that popular culture wishes to redefine Christmas.
I’ve heard one popular commentator say that “war has been declared on Christmas.” One can listen to radio talk shows or coffee klatch gossip and hear folks say things like, “They are trying to take away Christmas.”
To be truthful I’m not sure who “they” are. Is it the American Civil Liberties Union? Could it be members of the Tea Party? Might it be the U.S. Supreme Court?
Maybe it is strange people from Mars or California. Though I’ve never been certain who “they” are there is one thing about which I am fairly certain. I am fairly certain “they” never held a meeting somewhere and decided there would be no more Christmas in this country.
The truth is that “they,” whoever “they” may be can never take away Christmas.
The birth of Christ, the incarnation of God with us, the coming of the Lord can never be taken away from us as long as we allow Christ to dwell within us. Christ came to have a relationship with you and me. If we allow Christ into our hearts and accept him as our Lord and Savior he can never be taken away from us. Indeed the only way that we can ever lose Christmas is if we let go of it.
It has been my observation that we who are followers of Jesus Christ have done a fairly good job of releasing our claims on Christmas.
I recall a few years ago in another pastorate that in meeting with our worship committee we began planning for our Christmas Eve church service.
One particular lady on the committee, who has since passed away, lamented the fact that we were having a Christmas Eve service. She said, “This just messes up family time. Why do we have come to church on Christmas Eve?”
I don’t remember how I responded but I do know what I thought then and still believe today and that is how can we celebrate the Lord’s birth by leaving him out of the celebration? How can we celebrate the birth of God’s son without coming to God’s house?
Sadly even many in the church have treated Christmas like any other holiday. All too often even Christian folks have made the celebration of Christmas nothing more than cold weather vacation time.
Here is the truth about Christmas. Long after the presents have lost their luster, long after the food and drink have been consumed and digested, long after the Santa’s workshop has been destroyed because the North Pole has melted due to the onslaught of global warming, long after all the secularized celebrations have ended the one whose birth we celebrate remains.
The true meaning of Christmas is that unto us is born a Savior. That cannot be taken away no matter how hard we might try to let it go.