Discourse about Christmas I, December 24th 2011

Here comes the time of the year when we remember the miracle of incarnation. There is a lot we can see: the paradox of the Infinite being finite, the union between God and humanity, humility, self-giving; Love.

It is so easy to lose focus with so much going on in this world; Christmas is frequently missed by many people –including Christians– because of how it is practiced by the masses. We can get caught up in consumerism, we can be cynical about it saying that the date is not in the Bible or that it is founded on paganism, or we can be apathetic about it, either because we don’t like it or because we don’t care about it.
But all of these attitudes do not go together with the true spirit of Christmas, or to say it in another way, the real meaning of Christmas.

Think of the scenario of Jesus’ birth, a manger was certainly not the fanciest place to be born, but that’s one point, God himself, was born in a barn. Then think of the shepherds, they went running to the place where He was, because there was much to rejoice over when they heard of the Messiah on Earth. Now, the people from the East, they brought presents, but it was never about the presents, it was about Jesus. Without Jesus, there would not have been Magi from the East, there would not have been presents, and yet Jesus Himself already Was before they were.
The Eternal was there, in that exact moment. The One who doesn’t exist in time was existing in time right then, to save the world from sin. We can see in the beginning of John’s Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”[1]
So if we see Christmas how it’s described in John 1: 1-5, we see something much deeper than merely a nice time in family or a day for good morals; it is about God coming to the world for its redemption “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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”[2] So this is not a story of God just teaching mankind how to live, but God coming to Earth to save the entire world. Of course if you really think about this, rejoicing will be the response of your heart, and we can see this with the shepherds and the Magi, even more if we understand the hope that the Messiah represents; the One who was going to save Israel and the whole world from evil and sin: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.  You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”[3]
And that is what it is about; God speaking to the world like He did before through the prophets, but now in the greatest way, revealing the mystery through this Child[4], to describe it more: this was the Light who came to the world, the new Governor who came to establish His kingdom among us, this was Peace and Joy to the world, this Child was the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, Grace and Truth together; this is God’s faithfulness to His promises, this is redemption, this is Christmas. 

Now, we can still see Christians being cynical about Christmas, I know there’s no part in the Bible where Jesus said, “Remember my birth,” and that Jesus’ birth wasn’t in December and the whole pagan thing. But instead of all that, we should see the true meaning of it, of why we celebrate Christmas on December 25^th.
Christmas is about Whom we remember rather than when we remember it, knowing this, whether it be in December, April or May, it should be a date that can actually represent the meaning of Christmas.
On that note, think of paganism and God, of the Creator revealing Himself to the world so they would stop worshiping their idols and start worshiping the True God. Now think of early Christians, when they had to live surrounded by idolatry: their mission was to show everyone the true God –that’s the same reason why God chose Israel, the same reason why God came to earth–. So if Christmas was established on December 25^th to bring more people to Christ, how can we say it is not from God (This is how the when points to the Whom.)? Christmas was established long ago on that date for the same reason we’re here now (to bring people to Christ). Today we have a similar challenge with idolatry to that of the early Christians: the act of idolizing oneself and of idolizing money.
As Christians, we can’t be apathetic about it, we must stand for God, we must imitate Christ even more on this day, so the world realizes that our faith is true. We must be full of Love, of Grace and Truth, just as Jesus was[5]. The world has tried to have truth without grace, and grace without truth, but both cases failed[6]. Love your neighbor, be kind, be self-giving just as God is self-giving, but do it in Truth, for we can’t take morality away from Grace. Jesus never pretended that it was OK for people to stay as they were, in fact God’s love wouldn’t let anyone stay as they were before they came to Christ.
Do charity, so the world can see that our faith works, and again, do it in Truth: “Only in truth does charity shine forth, only in truth can charity be authentically lived. Truth is the light that gives meaning and value to charity… In the truth, charity reflects the personal yet public dimension of faith in the God of the Bible, who is both Agápe and Lógos: Charity and Truth, Love and Word.”[7]

This child, full of Grace and Truth, came to turn the world upside down, to establish God’s Kingdom in the world… now that’s our mission according to God’s plan. So let us spread God’s Kingdom, which is full of Love, Grace and Truth; Agápe and Lógos.
Christmas presents to us as an opportunity for all of us to keep saving the world from its paganism, to bring God’s Kingdom to all the Earth, like it says in the prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God came to the world, so we could be part of His Kingdom, that Child who was born a long time ago is our Lord and King of the entire universe. Let us spread the Kingdom He brought, here and now, so His Kingdom is found in every place on Earth, amen.