Friday, December 23, 2011

CHRISTMAS AND CULTURE

It is difficult to separate the Christ of Christmas from our cultural trappings and traditions. After all, we are children of our own culture; a people who can place mangers and Santa Claus together in the same scene.

Why do we celebrate Christmas at all?  We all know that presents are nice to get.  AND we all know that presents are not the highest expression of Christmas.

There appears to be a great deal of confusion in our society.  Perhaps we could profit from a small dose of history.
Christmas is about children.  To be specific about one child; Jesus, who is called Immanuel:  God with us.

God’s gift to us is to be among us, to be one of us and to bear our sins which we could not do for ourselves.

                                                                              
When God’s hands made the heavens and the earth
 . . . that was CREATION.

 When God’s morning stars sang together
 . . .that was CELEBRATION.

When God’s word broke through the silence of time
. . . that was COMMUNICATION.

When God’s prophets stood alone against all odds
. . . that was  CONSECRATION.

But when God’s Son was delivered to a manger. . . that was COMPASSION. 

Christmas lives today because it is eternally the celebration of God’s compassion.

It’s not the date.   it’s the reality of the event.

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