The True Meaning of Christmas – Is It Even a Question?

What’s the true meaning of Christmas? How many times have you heard that being asked on talk shows, news commentaries, or the holiday movies? It happens every year, as if it’s a multiple-choice question, a matter of opinion or personal preference.

So, what is the true meaning of Christmas? Santa Claus? Brightly decorated Christmas trees? Magical snowy scenery? Exchanging gifts? Spending time with family we rarely see the rest of the year?

 

Maybe the meaning is more virtuous, things like generosity, love, kindness, childlike wonder. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I choose to go with not what I think, but what God thinks. We find His “opinion” stated in John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” From this we get the term “God incarnate” – God becoming a human being.

 

When we gaze at a nativity scene, sing carols about the birth of Jesus Christ, or send cards declaring “Jesus is the Reason for the Season,” we’re reminding ourselves and others about the true meaning of “Christ-mas.” Other trappings of the season are fun. Some are desperately needed. Heaven knows we need a lot more good will toward men (and women and children). And peace on earth seems more and more like wishful thinking. But without Jesus, there would never have been a Christmas.

 

As I’ve written on another platform, countless sermons and messages have already been spoken and written to convey the importance and magnitude of Christmas. What more can be added to that? Maybe what’s needed is not new information but pausing to reflect on what we already know, the impact of “‘Immanuel, which means, ‘God with us,’” as we’re told in Matthew 1:23.

 

The first chapter of the gospel of John presents us with amazing truths, For starters, literally, it declares that Jesus didn’t just suddenly appear 2,000 years ago – it says He was from the beginning of everything: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:1-3).

 

In addition, we’re told Jesus came to give life, to rescue us from dead, “religious” works, and to bring light to the world, shining the only path to life that will not end. “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it” (John 1:4-5).

 

The Bible teaches that every man, woman and child is God’s creation, made in His image. But not all are members of His divine, eternal family. So, a third and critical truth from this brief passage is that Jesus came to offer the one and only way to become members of God’s family. That requires a unique transaction, receiving as a gift what is available only through Jesus Christ: 

“Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:12-13). 

 

Jesus elaborated on this promise later in John’s gospel: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

 

We may idealize a pastoral scene with a young woman, her betrothed husband and a baby surrounded by barnyard animals, shepherds, angels and wise men. But from that humble, inconspicuous beginning came the most momentous, history-changing life and ministry of all time. One that causes each of us who follows Christ to declare with the angels, “Glory to God in the highest!” (Luke 2:14).

 

Merry Christmas to you. May your day and celebration be truly blessed!

 

Discovering the One Identity That Matters Most

Have you watched any of those crime dramas on TV – the ones with forensic pathologists doing extensive examinations of corpses seeking to determine, “Who is this person?” I find it interesting that whether we’re living or deceased, our identity is so integral to our existence.

 

Identity is a recurring theme these days, even dominating news reports at times. Debates abound about whether it’s important to prove one’s identity to participate in an election – voter ID. We hear endless commentaries (or arguments) over something called “gender identity.” Famous individuals make news when they announce their identity as supporters of a particular political party.

But our identity – who we are – doesn’t have to be news-making. Whenever we fill out a survey, they ask numerous questions related to our identity: Are we married, single, divorced, or what? What about race or ethnicity – which one are we? Then there’s that matter of gender again. The difference is that these days, there are usually more than two boxes from which to choose.

 

When we meet someone for the first time, whether in a business context, a new neighbor or even a fellow passenger on a commercial jet, one question we commonly ask – or answer – is, “What kind of work do you do?” In other words, what’s your vocational or professional identity?

 

We can find a sense of “identity” in the sports teams we root for, hobbies we pursue, how much education we have and where we received it, the size of our bank account, which subdivision we live in, the people and groups we associate with, and a host of many other things. 

 

Each of these identity determinants has some value, but shouldn’t there be something about us that transcends such things as ethnicity, net worth, job, or even how we spend time behind closed doors?

 

Reading through the Bible, we see a strange and amazing collection of characters, most of them very flawed, but in terms of identity, they had one reality in common: They saw themselves as inseparably linked to God; He was their single-most reason for being. For instance, we read that “Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God” (Hebrews 11:24-25).

 

Moses’ successor, Joshua, led the Israelites into the Promised Land, fulfilling the promise the Lord had made when they were freed from bondage in Egypt. But a great danger lurked – the temptation to turn away from the one true God and worship the false gods of the surrounding nations. So, as his days as their leader were nearing an end, Joshua gave the people of Israel this charge: “…then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

 

As good an example of someone who had absolute clarity about his identity was Paul the apostle. Speaking to a large crowd in the city of Athens, filled with idols to an multiplicity of gods, Paul explained what faith in Jesus Christ meant: “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28)

 

Writing to believers in the city of Galatia, he declared, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). 

 

Writing to Jesus’ followers in another ancient church, Paul underscored their true identity: “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). In another letter to the same group, the apostle wrote, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).

 

Being Christ followers also clarified one’s identity in terms of calling and service, the apostle asserted, “for we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9). Imagine being chosen as co-workers with the Lord in fulfilling His eternal purposes on earth.

 

In his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul wrote, “…God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (1 Corinthians 5:19-20). 

 

Perhaps the most compelling statement about the true identity of those who follow Jesus is found in Galatians 3:26-28, which declares, “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

In Christ, traits like ethnicity, social status or gender aren’t taken into account. Our jobs, hobbies, personal possessions and portfolios, even our personal habits, are things we do – but they’re not who we are, our identity, if we have received Him as Savior and Lord. We are “new creations” – the old has passed, the new has come! 

Who Are You? Our Identity Conundrum

Everyone these days seems concerned about their identity. “Who am I?” How we answer that question can take many directions, ranging from the work we do, to our family history, to the color of our skin, and increasingly, our gender.

 

For people in the working world, careers and jobs have long been a big part of their identity. I’ve lost count of how many times while traveling for business that I was asked, “What kind of work do you do?” I would ask fellow travelers the same thing. It might have been out of curiosity or sincere interest, but this  question functioned as a convenient way to discern where someone fit on the social importance scale. “Oh, you’re a doctor? Interesting!” “You’re a nuclear scientist? Wow!” “A professional athlete. That’s great!” “You’re a best-selling novelist? Well, so glad to meet you!”

 Alas, folks like hotel maids, sanitation engineers, newsstand operators and retail clerks usually don’t get the same kind of eager reception. Because some jobs equate to affluence and status while others don’t, and the more money you make, the more important people think you are. That’s what we’re taught to believe.

 

But jobs are only one of many determinants we use for identity. If you’ve ever taken an online survey, toward the end they often ask questions about marital status, the number and ages of children you have, your own age, education, race and gender. They might ask about your political affiliation. Sometimes they inquire about your income. All are used as means for identifying who you are. Or at least, who you’re supposed to be, based on demographics.

 

Twenty years ago, no one was talking about “gender identity.” It was agreed that gender, or sex, was determined by the equipment a baby had when it was born. These days, however, a whole cadre of people want to “identify” gender according to the impulses racing around their minds. You are who you think you are or perceive yourself to be, we’re now being instructed.

 

Rather than wading into that debate, I have another question: Is it really fair – or right – to define someone’s true identity solely based a single criterion, or even several external criteria? Such as the kind of job they have; how many years they spent in college; the size of their bank account and investment portfolio; whether they’re married, single, or divorced; the color of their skin; or even their lifestyle choices? 

 

For instance, I’m a male, Caucasian (for which I offer no apology), a husband, father, grandfather, writer and journalist (in the traditional sense of the term), college graduate and Buckeye fan. But not one of those descriptions – or all of them together – represent my full “identity.”

 

What if we resolved to determine our identity not based on what we do or have, or how we feel, but rather according to what God says about us?

 

Indeed, what does God say – and think – about us? Answers to that question could fill a book, but I’ll highlight just a handful of passages that have meant a lot to me, ones that have made a huge difference in how I understand my own identity. For instance, Psalm 139:14 says I am, “fearfully and wonderfully made” – a unique and special creation of God. That’s very good news.

 

The Bible also tells me some bad news, that I’m a sinner: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and “There is no one righteous, not even one…there is no one who does good, not even one” (Romans 3:11-12). I don’t like this part of my identity, but it’s true.

 

But as the Scriptures so often do, when they give us bad news, they also provide good news to offset it. In response to this sin problem we all have, which separates us from a perfect, holy, righteous God, we’re told, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). This ties in with the passage most of us know well, John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” That is, to borrow the phrase from an old rock song, a whole lotta love!

 

Getting back to my identity, the answer to the question, “Who am I?” The Bible declares that as a disciple of Jesus Christ, I have received a brand new identity. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Abiding in Christ, as the Scriptures term it, I’m a new person, fully forgiven for my sins and empowered by His Holy Spirit to live this new life.

 

A few verses down in the same passage, we’re informed that as His followers, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors…. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (Romans 5:20-21).

 

We could consider many more portions of Scripture, but I think one verse sums up what our focus should be, the way we address the matter of our “identity,” the answer to “who am I?” If we have trusted in Christ, have committed our lives to Him in faith and are seeking to know and serve Him more and more each day, then we all can rest in this promise: “See how great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1).

 

It matters not whether we’re male or female, married or single, with or without children; whatever kind of work we do, what our skin color or ethnicity might be, how much education we have, or how much money we have in the bank. Those are facets of our lives, mere fractions of who we are in totality. But they don’t define us. Am I a child of the living God, promised life both now and forever as a member of His eternal family? That is who I am. 

Definitely An Election Like None Other

Millions of us have already voted, whether early in person or by mail. So from our perspective, it’s all over except the shouting. And there’s bound to be lots of shouting, no matter what the final vote counts show. But for many other millions of American citizens, tomorrow is what it’s always been: Election Day, the first Tuesday of every November. Being a Presidential election, that makes it a bit more important.

With the unfortunate polarization of our nation, regardless of the outcome, the “losing” side is bound to begin collective gnashing of teeth, convinced the world as we have known it will never be the same. But take heart – there is good news. Very good news.

 

While the Bible does not speak about voting and political elections, it does offer wisdom and assurance concerning those selected to lead in government. For starters, Romans 13:1 instructs, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

 

This is stating that regardless of the results, God is neither surprised nor caught off guard. All who serve do so in accord with God’s sovereign will, including evil leaders. Consider some of the those in the Bible, people like King Saul, Israel’s first king who came to an inglorious end; and pagan kings Artaxerxes, Cyrus, Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, Ahab and his despicable queen Jezebel, king Herod and Pontius Pilate. Even kings David and Solomon compiled very flawed resumes. 

 

Not one of these was a paragon of virtue in any sense of the word, but the Lord used them all to accomplish His divine purposes. 

 

The apostle Paul gave a similar admonition to Titus, one of his protégés: “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show humility toward all men” (Titus 3:1-2).

 

Paul was not alone in presenting such teaching. The apostle Peter also wrote, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men” (1 Peter 2:13-15).

 

This sounds difficult, and may not make sense in light of today’s contentious political climate. We can only confidently heed such instructions if we place our ultimate trust in God, believing He rules and overrules as He sees fit.

 

But there's another type of election we should also consider, one that does not involve a ballot box. It’s the election the Lord has ordained for those who join His eternal family. His is the only vote.

 

Opening his first letter in the New Testament, Peter addresses his audience: “To God’s elect, strangers in the world…who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit…” (1 Peter 1:1-2). Who are these “elect”? As the apostle explains, those who have been chosen by God.

 

Paul also understood this perspective, using the term a number of times. For instance, in 2 Timothy 2:10 “Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (2 Timothy 2:10).

 

The apostle opens his letter to Titus by encapsulating his personal calling: “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness – a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time” (Titus 1:1-2).

 

It was not only the apostles who thought and spoke in terms of God’s “election.” Looking ahead to what the Bible calls “the end of days” and His second coming, Jesus Christ told His followers, “If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them…. At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens” (Mark 13:20-27).

 

Why mention this? Because we won’t know until tomorrow – or perhaps days or weeks after that, given the chaotic state of the current election process – who won and who lost. Meanwhile, based on promises of the Scriptures and Jesus Himself, we can have full assurance we are His “elect,” His chosen people, if we accept His free gift of salvation and deliverance from the guilt of sin.  

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:12-13).

 

This is one election result we don’t have to sweat out: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Have you had your “election day” yet?

Wonders of Adoption

Within the next couple of weeks, two of our grandsons will be celebrating their birthdates just days apart (separated also by about seven years). My wife and I have been blessed by a dozen grandchildren in all, and each is unquestionably very special to us. But these two little boys – brothers – are unique to our family. Because they’re both adopted.

Mac and Cam, in some ways very
different - but in the most important
way, very much alike.

Whenever I see Mac and Cam, I marvel for several reasons. First of all, even though they don’t carry any of our DNA, they are definitely as integral to our family as any who share in our bloodline. The court and legal papers say so – and even more important, our hearts say so. They belong to us, and nothing they could ever do can change that.

Second, they are part of our family because their birth mothers made selfless, courageous decisions to let them be born and then find a loving home for them where they enjoy a mom and dad who love them unconditionally. The birth moms were “pro-choice” – they chose to reject abortion and then chose a couple to provide them with a secure, nurturing home.

In an age when many in our society seem to view abortion as an option of no greater consequence than taking out the trash, adoption is the viable – and ultimately, Scriptural alternative. Interestingly, the words “abortion” and “adoption” are very much alike if you simply transpose two letters, a “d” for a “b” and a “p” for an “r” One represents death; the other stands for caring, merciful life.

Whenever the topic of adoption comes up, I also think about how intrinsic that term is for the heartbeat of the Christian faith. For instance, Ephesians 1:4-5 makes this intriguing declaration: “…[God] chose us in Him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.”

That passage alone could provide the grist for a number of sermons, but for our purposes here, it’s interesting that it says God “predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.” Clearly the basis for this was Jesus’ death on the cross as atonement for our sins, and His resurrection, giving us access to God the Father. 

But this isn’t the only place the term is used. In Romans 8:22-23 the apostle Paul writes, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

Earlier he states,“For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Romans 8:15). Then in the next verse Paul adds, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.” This speaks to the assurance we can have as followers of Jesus, the unchanging, eternally secure relationship we have when God welcomes us as members of His divine family.

So as we prepare to wish them both a very happy birthday, I’m so thankful that in these two sweet little grandsons we have an everyday, visible reminder of two things: a very practical, humane solution for unwanted pregnancies, and the eternal truth of our relationship with our Lord. 

In human terms, our boys are both secure in the love and unwavering acceptance of their mom and dad, as well as our extended family. And even more, as disciples of Christ we have all the privileges of adoption into God’s everlasting family – a choice He made on our behalf. The Lord reached out to us because He desired to have a relationship with us. This was something we did not and could not initiate, but one we can and will appreciate. Forever.

Projecting the Right Image

Don’t you feel moved when a theatrical film portrays someone’s selfless acts toward another person? Or when we see a news report about an individual whose heroic actions saved another person from serious harm, even death? I think this touches each of us, but why is that? After all, we’re not the beneficiaries of those acts. Why should we even care?

Recently I watched a video of an Asian man engaged in random forms of kindness and felt the same uplifting emotions. His actions weren’t grandiose, and didn’t require a lot of effort, yet they made me think, “Why aren’t we all like this – and all the time?”

His acts were simple, really: Moving a withering plant under a stream of water cascading from an awning; assisting an imporverished woman push her cart across a street; sharing a meal with a stray dog at an outdoor café; leaving bananas at the apartment door of an elderly woman; giving some money to a mother and her young daughter as they sat on a sidewalk asking for help.

In several cases his generosity and caring led to positive outcomes – the dog became a trusted companion, and the little girl eventually started attending school so she could learn how to live a better life. But even if the outcomes had not been favorable, or even viewers saw no results at all, we still would have agreed his kindnesses were commendable. But why?

I think it’s because, as Genesis 1:26-27 declares, we’re made to bear the very image of God. “The God said, ‘Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness’…. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.”

Studying the Scriptures, it’s clear this doesn’t mean physical or anatomical characteristics, but rather some of God’s divine attributes and virtues, such as love, mercy, compassion, kindness, joy, generosity, understanding, and selflessness. Granted, even in demonstrating such qualities we do so very imperfectly. Our intentions might be good, but our efforts at being others-centered often leave something to be desired. But the key is that we even attempt to do things for others, regardless of whether they’re noticed, or appreciated.

Those that deny God’s existence would explain these traits through a belief in evolution, that for no reason at all, humanity is always becoming “new and improved.” They would contend that honorable human qualities somehow emerged and “evolved” out of chaos and meaninglessness; somewhere along the line the notions of natural selection and survival of the fittest were mitigated by a desire to “do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Of course, that philosophy wasn’t espoused by Charles Darwin, some erudite philosopher, or a member of the scientific elite, but by Jesus Christ, as quoted in Matthew 7:12. Jesus added an edict equally revolutionary for His time when He said we’re to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39), recalling a principle introduced in the Old Testament: “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:18).

This idea of bearing the image of God wasn’t discarded after the Old Testament’s span of thousands of years. In fact, it’s a promise transcending the New Testament, one that extends to each of His followers. But why would the invisible God choose to make mankind in His image? Besides the fact He wants us to be kind to one another? One reason is that when others see us – especially through actions and behavior as described above – they can see Him reflected in us. “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us” (1 John 4:12).

The concept of representing God to others was articulated by the apostle Paul when he wrote, “We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). As flawed as we are, the Lord wants us to serve as His spokespersons.

We’re also told that being made in God’s image isn’t just for this life. It’s a promise for all eternity. In one of his letters, the apostle John made this mind-boggling assertion: “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

We are not only privileged to serve as His image bearers on earth, but as amazing as it sounds, when we see Him face to face, we will be like Him! Can you imagine? Is that cool, or what?