What Is Christmas?

by

 B.J. Knefley

What are your thoughts about Chrstmas? Is it just a holiday or is there a greater significance? This is how Linus summed it up in the 1965 classic “Charlie Brown Christmas”. “Fear not, for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you this day is born in the City of Bethlehem, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men'”. That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

I know that some will scoff and ridicule Linus summation of Christmas, and that is their prerogative. In some cultures celebrating Christ and Christmas is punishable by death. It’s nothing new, Christians have been martyred for 2000 years. Christ himself was crucified and by religious people who believed they were doing right by God.

We don’t get much persecution in this country. Oh it’s true we might get made fun of or ridiculed, but that’s nothing compared to those who suffer physical persecution. Persecution is nothing more than bullying and taken to the extreme, death can result. Maybe the reason we don’t get much persecution is because we’re just religious. We don’t do the one thing that Christ asked us to do, “Go make disciples”. We’re good at going to church and giving to worthy causes, but when it comes to really living out our faith, we fail miserably. Don’t agree? The next time you leave the parking lot at a church listen to the comments made about the other drivers. It’s hard to believe that these same people were just “praising” God.

What is Christmas? For many it’s a time to get, but for God, it was a time to give. Jesus said that there was no greater love than to lay down one’s life for another. Now that’s a gift and that’s what Christmas is all about. Think about it