Where is the Christ of the Christmas in your Christmas?

Christmas is the most special time of the year. It is the happiest season of the year and the most beautiful time of the year. It comes with beautiful and colourful decorations at home, at church, at the work place and in the city, town and village.

In 1963, Andy Williams sang a song referring to Christmas as the most wonderful time of the year. Yes and indeed, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year! It starts with the Christmas pay and bonuses, the Christmas shopping, wrapping of gifts, cooking, baking, cleaning, decorations, writing messages and giving out presents and cards. It ends on 26th with worries and guilt of overspending, over eating, over drinking and probably the regret of over excitement.

For some people, Christmas is a time of worry, because they do not have enough money to buy gifts for their children, family and friends. For some others, Christmas intensifies their sense of feeling left out. For some other people, the season of Christmas brings back painful memories and sorrow when they think of the lost of their loved ones or other relatives who are living overseas and will not be able to come home for different reasons.

Nonetheless, we all like the excitement and the thrill of Christmas. We all like the celebration, the enjoyment and the fun of Christmas. But I want you to pause and consider the following questions: What are you celebrating at Christmas? Do you know the Christ of the Christmas? Where is the Christ of the Christmas in your Christmas?

It is a known fact that Jesus was not born at this time of the year – at Christmas. Nevertheless, the truth is that at a particular time in human history (which Galatians 4:4 refers to as the fullness of time), the time appointed by God, something unusual happened. This unusual occurrence was not about the virgin who became pregnant, but it was about the Almighty God, the Everlasting Father who stepped down out of eternity into time and took upon himself humanity and was made fully human in every way according to Hebrews 2:17. The eternal God stepped into humanity to restore our eternal nature and His image and likeness in us and to give us eternal life, the “zoe” – the God – kind of life.

Keeping the Christ of the Christmas in your Christmas.

To keep the Christ of the Christmas in your Christmas, you must be careful not to be taken away by the excitement and the thrill of the season. Do not be lost in the midst of the celebration, eating, drinking, coupled with attending parties and the merry making. Rather, in the midst of the Christmas rush and fun, keep the main event in focus. What is the main event of Christmas? The main event of Christmas is that, God came to this world in human form in the personality of Jesus. According to the narrative of John the apostle in John 1:14, the Word (Christ) became human and lived among us. Therefore, at Christmas we are celebrating the incredible act of God’s love. We are celebrating the arrival of the Prince of Peace, Jesus the Messiah through whose redemptive work we have now received reconciliation and restoration into a wonderful new relationship with God (John 1:12).

The Angel of God announced in Luke chapter 2 verse 11, “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord” (NIV). It is highly necessary for all and sundry to personalise Luke 2:11 in this way, “Today in my heart a Saviour has been born to me; He is the Messiah, my Lord.” Prepare a place for Him in your heart and receive Him into your life. Let Him be the king of your life. Let Him not remain in the manger, but let Him remain and reign in your life and may you live
for Him everyday.

When Christ, the King reigns in your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, He will always be in your Christmas!

Merry Christmas!