or presents
or dead pine trees
or blinking lights
or foil wrapped trees (what's up with that, by the way?)
or eating too much
or choir cantatas
or children's plays
or bell music
or shopping
or opening presents
Yes, I realize the culture has made it these things and more. Yes, I realize it is all in fun. But let us not be sucked into the false impression that morphing Christmas into a secular festival does no harm. Let us by no means do that.
The meaning of Christmas is truly only about one thing.
Humanity was designed to live with God in love and trust.
Humanity screwed up and is unable to deliver itself.
God came in real, sweating, hungering, peeing, sleeping human flesh,
which he willingly sacrificed to death for us.
Now, trusting in Jesus rather than trusting in our hopelessly broken selves,
we can live with God in love and trust.
That's Christmas.
Origin of Christmas (the word)
Origin of Christmas (the holiday)
Who is Saint Nicolas?
My "Get your own holiday" rant from 2004
Tag(s): christmas
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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/
How about the second time of year that you do something charitable...
ReplyDeleteThanksgiving being the first.
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ReplyDeleteAgreed. We ought not need an excuse for either holy justice or holy parties.
ReplyDelete