What really comes to your mind when you hear or think of the word Christmas? Does this festival season mean anything to you? Do you think of your friends, loved ones and family, perhaps bonus and shopping or like the good majority- party time? Rarely do people ponder deeply about the essence of Christmas- the Birth of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus.
Believe it or not that time of the year is here again; the Christmas festival! People will for a moment forget the politics, the economy, and the uncertainties of tomorrow, but will purely celebrate in style. Goats, chickens, turkeys and many other delicacies will lay prostrate on braii-stands and dining tables. New shoes, clothes and the ‘wanna-be-cloths’ (tummy tops, skinny Jeans, and the 50cm high heeled shoes) will be worn. Those wonderful Christmas gift packs, flowers and cards will float the atmosphere of the shopping complexes, Malls, and Tuntembas (Zambian makeshift shops). For Lusaka dwellers Acades, Manda Hill, and Levy Junction will be hotspots. Furthermore, fathers and mothers, uncles and aunties of all walks of life will make their way around loaded with the Christmas bonus and shopping coupons. And not forgetting the pick-pocketers and thieves will also celebrate in style. With so much activity, honestly, what sort of meaning would Christmas have? Will Christ even be in the picture?
The world gets so crazy about Christmas that one wonders whether it is truly about Christ. Conceivably, it is just another world wide carnival jammed with staff, food and gifts. Essentially, it has come to be a moment to spoil yourself, friends and family with parties, disco, and adventures followed by days of hung-over, bruised bodies, empty pockets and of course not forgetting accidents and deaths. Surely speaking is that what Christmas has come to mean? What sort of memories can one have year after year?
What is the authentic meaning of Christmas? I believe not all think and celebrate in a Christ-less fashion as described above. Yet still, on the other hand, there are always a good lot who demonstrate a minimal conscious of Christ. These people will be filled with memories of the last time they were in church. They will come to church again to register their presence since Easter, the last funeral or wedding they last attended. They will be satisfied with the lie that God is honored by them being in church again. Well, the truth is, their presence will be worth as much as their absent unless they finally come to Christ.
Please pause and ponder with me for a moment as the big question still lingers; what is Christmas, and what exactly does it mean? Only if people knew, their memories would be delightful. Let me try to explain. Though coined by the world and with a pagan origin, Christmas Day was adopted by the Christians to commemorate the birth of Christ. Due to the influence of Christianity, the day was Christianized to glorify the true God in heaven. However many centuries later, which is today, the world seems to be claiming the Day back. It has been highly commercialized, and Christ is almost out of the picture (no longer is it Christmas but Xmas). This leaves the church with no grip on it at all. Do not be surprised, it is just a matter of time (sooner or later) if we start to hear that the Christian fraternity wants to disassociate itself from the commemoration of Christmas Day as the birth of Christ.
Nonetheless, the true Christian looks at Christmas through the Scriptures. Consequently it is a time when we focus on the story of our Savior’s birth. During this time, we stand in admiration of the virgin birth, the accurate fulfillment of the scriptural prophecies, the appropriateness of the time, the worship rendered by the Angels, the Magi and the Shepherds, and eventually the pronouncement of the purpose of His birth and death, by the Priest Simeon. All this reverence bundled together points us to the final work of our Savior at the Cross of Calvary. As a result, it brings to mind that Jesus’ birth was purely the beginning of His journey to the Cross to redeem fallen man for the glory of God the Father. The Scriptures are full of the amazing number of witnesses to this story. Unlike today, these witnesses pondered in their hearts the things said of Christ; Joseph and Mary, the sermons of angel Gabriel; Zacharia and Elizabeth, the leaping of John in the womb; Simeon and Ann, the sight of Him at the purification; the shepherds, the hymns of the angelic host; and finally the wise men at the compass of the bright star. We surely stand in awe of this King born in a manger in the little town of Bethlehem. These are the memories that fill the hearts of true believers and define the meaning of Christmas.
Therefore, the birth of Christ is not only the fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah in 7:14 (“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel...”) but also the beginning of all that was spoken of Him in the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets. Truly we commit to memory the king who shall rule the world with the government upon his shoulders.
Dear friend, what do you perceive of all these things? Please open your eyes for once this Christmas and see that it is Jesus Christ the King of Kings and Redeemer of mankind we celebrate! May this Christmas cause you to be excited about Him? Pause and ponder again of your redeemer and fill your memories with Him. Rejoice therefore, for there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus! Merry Christmas to you all!
That's all!
No comments:
Post a Comment