What Christmas Should Be

“I bring you good news of great joy!”
Luke 2:10

I don’t know about you, but I strongly dislike Christmas in its current modern form at least. I dislike that there are a few that want to make it a secular, consumer driven event – an opportunity to bolster the economy by spending money we don’t have to buy stuff that nobody needs or wants. Another excuse to over indulge in food and alcohol - did you know that more people die from alcohol related incidents during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays than at any other time of the year? That is not what Christmas is supposed to be about. I know, I haven’t created a very pretty picture of this sacred holiday, but let’s face it folks, even those of us who call ourselves Christians fall into the trap of “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.”  

So what should Christmas really be? Webster defines Christmas as: “A Christian feast celebrating the Birth of Christ.” Then should only Christians celebrate it? In Luke 2:10 the angel tells the shepherds, “I bring you GOOD News of GREAT JOY!” and in verse 11 “A Savior has been born.” These two simple phrases tell us Christmas should be filled with joy and hope, not stress and hopelessness. How many of you feel joy while you were fighting the crowds at the mall? Christmas should be a time of Joy - the kind of joy you feel when you see a new born baby, for those of you who are parents – do you remember that feeling? Christmas should be a time of hope, the birth of Jesus the Christ was in many ways a new beginning, new beginnings bring hope. Christmas should be about peace. God decided to come to earth, not in a blaze of glory, not with a grand entrance, not even as a rich man. He chose to come, as a baby – born to a poor earthly family, born in a stable. I don’t know if any of you have ever been in a barn at night, I have and it is a peaceful place, the animals are resting, it is quiet and there is warmth. There in the Bethlehem stable, Mary, Joseph and the baby whose purpose was to restore man’s relationship with God were at peace. John 3:16 puts the final touch on what Christmas should be – it should be about love – “For God so LOVED…” We live in uncertain times, times that are not joy filled, where we can and do lose hope, where there is violence instead of peace and hate or at least indifference instead of love. 

But we can change that – we can keep our focus on the real reason for the season – JESUS. He was born of God’s love. His birth brought good news and hope. The circumstances of His birth show us we can have peace no matter what. If you call yourself a Christian, make Christmas what it should be, a time of celebration, joy, hope, peace and love. If you are hopeless today, if you want Christmas to be something different, accept the greatest gift that was ever given – Jesus. Open his gift and find the true meaning of Christmas.

My Prayer For You
Father, I know that some who are reading this are having a hard year, they are facing painful and stressful circumstances in their lives. I ask that as we draw nearer to the celebration of Your Son’s birth that we may each receive the gifts of joy, hope, peace and love, In the name of Jesus, Amen.