THE BLESSING OF CHRISTMAS

 

Luke 2:25-32 (NLT) (shortened)

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon… the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus… Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

There are about 2.2 billion people who claim to be Christians; that is about 3 out of 10 people in the world. Christmas is among the biggest religious celebrations in the world. That said, there are Christians who do not celebrate Christmas for various reasons.

First, are Christians who rightly state that Jesus was not born on December 25; so, it is meaningless celebrating Christmas. There is no commonly accepted date for his birth; some scholars’ say Jesus was born in October, another says he was born in June.

Next are Christians who say it was wrong for Roman Emperor Constantine 1,681 years ago to make December 25 a day to celebrate Jesus birth. They argue that December 25 was already used for celebrating a Roman idol, so to celebrate Christmas is idol worship.

There are other Christians who hold that many who celebrate Christmas see it as a time for excessive eating, alcoholism, and multiple sexcapades. They feel Christmas celebrations are so ungodly, there is no reason for Christians to join in the celebrations.

While there is no doctrine that we celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25, the Bible does show us that wise men came from a far distance to celebrate his birth; the passage above also shows Simeon’s joy and prophetic proclamations about the child Jesus.

Heaven will not frown at Christians who choose not to celebrate the birth of Jesus, neither will heaven frown at those who decide to celebrate. What matters more is not the day, but how you choose to celebrate. If you wish to celebrate the birth of Jesus on any day of the year with family, friends, and your community, it is up to you.

Simeon says Jesus ‘is a light to reveal God to the nations’. The Bible shows Jesus using his authority for good, and also show him teaching about God’s kingdom that will someday replace this world. As you celebrate Christmas, think about him.

Christians celebrating Christmas without Jesus are missing the point. The blessing of Christmas is not in consumption but in sharing the light of Jesus where you are.  

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Image: The Star of Christmas © brotheremmanuel.blog