From the heart of the Pastor
Festivity VS Incarnation
Being festive is not sinful or wrong. There is nothing wrong with people, as families, friends, or co-workers, coming together to enjoy the celebration of a certain holiday or get together for a party to have fun and renew friendship. In fact, it was God Himself, as the Creator of the entire universe and everything in it, who prepared a beautiful garden for our first parents, Adam and Eve, to dwell in, to enjoy life and everything that God created for their happiness, without a limit. Of course, after Adam sinned against the Lord by eating the forbidden fruit, the unimpeded jubilation and entertainment that Adam and Eve had been enjoying in God’s created world was negatively impacted by God’s ruling over man to eat his bread by the sweat of his brow.
Nevertheless, it does not mean that today man cannot or should not allocate a free time from the days and times of his labors to relax and do things that he enjoys, including enjoying his time with family and friends in a holiday season such as Christmas.
That being true and good for all people, there is one scenario in which holiday festivity, like what people do to celebrate Christmas, becomes wrong and man-centered. And that is, when the activities of people in celebrating Christmas ignore the Creator and his greatest gift to humanity, which was the incarnation of his son Jesus Christ, and make their focus entirely on eating, drinking and partying.
In 1 Corinthians 10:31, the Apostle Paul calls all people, especially believers, to do all things for the glory of God, including their eating and drinking. To do all things for the glory of God means to acknowledge all that you have and do as free and gracious gifts from God, and honor and exalt God openly and publicly because of them.
But things that we enjoy in life, things like eating, drinking, shelter, clothing, festivities, etc., are the lesser gifts from the Creator. In Matthew 6, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself mentions these things as the lesser gifts of God for the created human beings, and then the gift of eternal life as the greatest gift from God the Father (Matthew 6: 25-34). And the object of God’s gift of eternal life has been portrayed for us in what is called the “theme verse” of the Bible: John 3:16.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
In John 3:16, the object of God’s love (and the gift of eternal life) is Jesus Christ our Lord. And who is Jesus Christ? The eternal son of God who was born of the virgin Mary and became fully man without sin, in order to accomplish the salvation of God’s children by a death on the cross (John 1:14).
You see, my friends, without John 1:14, the eternal word of Christ (which was Christ Himself) becoming flesh (by the power of the Holy Spirit but through a human virgin birth) there would not be John 3:16. There would not be the man Jesus Christ as the gift of eternal life on whom people believe and have everlasting life. In theology, the virgin birth, through which Jesus Christ took human flesh and became fully man— “The God man”— is called Incarnation. And, as you now can see from the connection we just made between John 1:14 and John 3:16, your entire salvation and final glorification depends on the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.
Hence, when people (particularly true followers of Christ) commemorate the historic birth of Christ in Bethlehem by ignoring and neglecting the worship and proclamation of the preexistent divine Word (Logos) (John 1:1-2) which was Jesus Christ Himself- the light of the world, by just dwelling on the sentiments and characters of Christmas such as Angels, Shepherds, a baby in a manger, exchanging of gifts, partying, it will be a Christmas without the real Christ, who can satisfy your deepest need in life (forgiveness and everlasting, uninterrupted joy). All the temporal elements of outward Christmas festivities will never give and secure this for you.
In order to clarify what I mean by this further, let me quote what Paul said about Christ, who was the greatest gift of God the Father, in relation to other things that we want and should enjoy here on earth. “He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:32.
Let me unpack this wonderful reminder verse from Paul briefly. First, because God so loved the world, He did not withhold Himself from letting His only begotten son Jesus Christ leave His heavenly home and glory to be born from a poor virgin from Nazareth. He let Him grow as any other child in the world grows up and fall into the hands of wicked men (whom He created by the power of His word) and let them crucify Him on a tree as a blasphemer in their sinful opinion. But in the eternal plan of His Father, He delivered the people of God from the power of Sin and eternal death.
For that reason Paul said God the Father did not spare His son but gave Him up to death on the cross. So His birth (Incarnation) was a journey to the cross, and the cross was the greatest manifestation of God’s love for you. But then, interestingly enough, Paul adds something else (a bonus from God, if you will) which actually is attached to the Father’s greatest gift, who was Christ. The additional advantage (benefit) that Paul mentioned was “all things”, which meant with Christ, God graciously gave us the other things that we possess and want, to enjoy them for our happiness in this short life that the Lord gave us here on this earth.
And the “all things” of Paul includes all the things that you have at your disposal to be enjoyed and cherished all the time, including during holidays as you are having now— Christmas. But the point I am making, with the help of Paul, is that you, as you celebrate the birth of Christ, can’t separate all these things from Christ (through whom you have them from God) or exalt them as more valuable and abiding than the Christ of Incarnation.
Remember, God the Father, through and with his Son Jesus Christ, gave you all things that you have in life— family, friends, job, time, resources, knowledge, festivities— for you to celebrate and enjoy them by making Jesus Christ, who was born, lived, died and was resurrected for your sake, the focal person and reason of all that you do in life, including celebrating Christmas. Keep the exhortation of the Apostle Paul in mind as you remember and celebrate the birth of your Savior with family and friends.
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Will your festivity this month ignore the Creator and His greatest gift for you, eternal life through the incarnate Son of God, or elevate the Christ of Incarnation above all other things that you will do with your family and friends? I am earnestly praying that we all will do the latter, for the glory of God and as our testimony for Christ, who is our greatest and main reason for Christmas.
A very blessed and joyous Christmas to you all!
In the love of the great Shepherd!
Your Pastor and friend,
Zecharias