How To Keep Christ in Christmas - Isaiah 7:14; 9:2, 6-7; 11:1-9; 61:1-3; Luke 2:1-20


 
How many of you are tired of the “war on Christmas”?  How many of you, like me, are really tired of hearing about the “war on Christmas”?  Now don’t get me wrong.  I truly believe that Christmas is about Christ.  I really believe that without Christ, there is no reason to celebrate or observe Christmas.  I think if we go to a Christmas party or Christmas parade or even a Christmas tree lighting ceremony and there is no reference to Christ, then there is something wrong.  If we celebrate Christmas, then we must do everything we can to make sure that Christ is kept in Christmas.

So how do we keep Christ in Christmas?  Well, surprisingly, it has nothing to do with whether a manger scene is displayed on city property or a holiday tree is decorated at the White House; it has nothing to do whether or not children are able to sing “Away in the Manger” during their winter festival program at school; it has nothing to do with whether the cashier tells us “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Holidays,” or simply “have a nice day;” and, finally, it has nothing to do with whether a store displays “Christmas” signs or uses “Christmas” in their advertising campaign.  In fact, as many of you have heard me say before, I really don’t think that Jesus wants his name associated with an attempt to sell at 52 inch flat screen television, a new suit or dress, an Elsa doll or Transformer action figure, or even a jug of eggnog.

We have to realize, those are distractions.  They really have nothing to do with what Christmas is about and really have no bearing on whether Christ is found in Christmas.  So what is keeping Christ in Christmas all about?  It is about the fulfillment of the words of Isaiah.

Isaiah said:

…Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear you a son, and shall name him Immanuel…(“God with us.”)

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light…His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace…He will establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness…

He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth…Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins…They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain…

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor…to provide for those who mourn in Zion—to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit…They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities…

Those are the things that Christ came to do…he even declares it to be what He is about as he begins His ministry in Nazareth, quotes Isaiah 61 and says, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”[i]

When questioned by the followers of John the Baptist of whether or not he was the Messiah, Jesus responded, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised and the poor have the good news brought to them.”[ii]

My brothers and sisters, that is what Christ’s coming into the world was all about…to be a light in the darkness…that is what Christmas, with all its decorations, lights, and celebrations is all about…to be a breaking of light into the darkness, a time of healing for the wounded, a bringing of hope for those in despair, a gesture of forgiveness where there is bitterness, the offer of love where there is hatred or loneliness.

There is a t-shirt that I saw around Thanksgiving, one I probably should have bought.  Maybe one that we all should be wearing.  It read, “Want to Keep Christ in Christmas?  Feed the Hungry, Clothe the Naked, Forgive the Guilty, Welcome the Unwanted, Care for the Ill, Love Your Enemies, and Do Unto Others as You Would Have Done Unto You.”

That’s how we keep Christ in Christmas: serving at the shelter rather than standing in line at the store, offering warm clothes to someone who is stuck in the cold rather than purchasing a new wardrobe for ourselves, offering forgiveness to someone who has wronged us, rather than plotting to get even or wanting to see them suffer; offering hospitality to those who are alone or even shunned, rather than pretending we do not see them; spending time with someone who is sick, rather than saying, “I don’t want those germs”; doing something nice for someone who has attacked us; and simply treating those around us like we would want them to treat us.

My brothers and sisters, when we keep Christmas this way, we will find that Christmas stays in our lives and hearts much longer than this wonderful season of beautiful lights, pretty packages, and cheerful carols.  In fact, keeping when we keep Christ in Christmas in these ways, we will find that our lives are filled with the joy of the Christmas season beyond the return or exchange of presents on December 26th or the taking down of the tree after New Years, or even after the late Christmas party mid-January.  It is in this way we keep Christ in Christmas all year long…and those following Christ win the war on Christmas.  In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.


[i] Luke 4:21
[ii] Luke 7:22-23

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