By Robin Sam
CHRISTMAS is almost here. Most of us would have taken the plastic stars, Christmas trees and other decorative items out of the cupboards to celebrate Christmas. To some Christmas is all about wine, cake and festivities. To others Christmas is a time of carols, new clothes and church services. What is Christmas really? What does the Bible tell us about Christmas? In today’s message, I want to talk about the real spirit of Christmas.
To examine the spirit of Christmas in the light of the Scriptures, I would like to talk about the 3 Ws of Christmas. Sure enough, Christmas does not have even a single W in the way it is spelled. But, then Christmas is all about how you make of it. So, let’s look at the 3 Ws of Christmas.
The first W of Christmas is this: The Word.
Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ.
In the Gospel of John chapter 1 and verse 14 (John 1:14), the apostle wrote: ‘The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.’
The Word is Jesus Christ. Yes, Lord Jesus Christ is the Word of God. The Bible tells us that God is spirit. He is beyond us, above us and around us. When Jesus wanted to show the importance of being born again to Nicodemus, a Pharisee, He said in John 3:8, ‘”The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.’
Related Reading: How would Jesus want us to celebrate Christmas?
If a person born of the Spirit of God is like the wind that blows, how would you liken God Himself, who is Spirit? To make things more sensible for us, Jesus said: ‘I and the Father are one’ (John 10:30). And, in John 14:9, Jesus said: He who has seen me has seen the Father.
Apostle Paul caught the essence of the person of Jesus Christ. Turn with me to Colossians 2:9 to hear what he has to say about Jesus. ‘For in Him (that is Jesus Christ) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.’
That is the first thing we need to know about Christmas. Christmas is all about the Word becoming flesh and making His dwelling among us.
I want to ask you something. Is Jesus Christ real to you? Is God a concept or an idea or a reality to you? If Jesus Christ is not born in you, in your home and in your workplaces, no amount of plum cakes, stars and Christmas trees can make you realize and enjoy the true spirit of Christmas.
Sometime ago, researchers at Cornell University in New York found out that an average adult makes about 35,000 remotely conscious decisions each day out of which 227 decisions alone had to do with food. Each decision, of course, carries certain consequences with it that are both good and bad. But the most important decision that you will ever make in this life is about what you do with Jesus.
In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 27 and verse 22, Pontius Pilate asked the Jews: “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They all answered, “Crucify him!”
Pilate threw this question at others. God is throwing this question to each one of us: ‘What shall you do with Jesus Christ, my Son?’ If you ask me, I would say: Accept Him as your Lord and God and you will not spend a day regretting it.
The second W of Christmas is this: Worship.
I am reading from the Gospel of Matthew chapter 2 verse 10 and 11: ‘When they (the Magi) saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.’
Tradition calls the Magi as wise men. They were perhaps kings from the east, who were wise and in search of the purpose of life. We do not know how many were there, but it is safely presumed that there were more than one. What they did when they saw Jesus is noteworthy. The Bible says they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts.
Worship is bowing before something or someone superior. Worshiping is accepting the sovereignty of God. We worship God because He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. We worship God because He is holy. We worship God because He created us. We worship God because we are His handiwork. We worship God because He knows the end from the beginning. We worship God because He is a loving Father. We worship God because He gave us His only begotten Son for us. We worship God because He alone is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
Related reading: Whoever takes the Son…
Worship is not just bowing before God. True worship would cost us something. Apostle Paul found out what it means to worship God in true and proper worship. In Romans 12:1, he said: ‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.’
True worship surrenders our will to God’s will. Even when life gets burdensome and weary, a true worshiper will say: “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” That’s how Jesus Himself prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. You will read about it in Matthew chapter 26.
A true worshiper will chose God’s plans even when they are mysterious and don’t make sense over her own plans.
The third W of Christmas is this: Witness.
Witness in legal parlance is a person who is called to the court of law to testify and provide evidence. A good witness can bring about justice and a bad witness can find the loopholes in the law and twist and distort judgment.
Being a witness in Christianity means being true to your beliefs. A true witness is always seeking ways to honor and glorify God. A true witness lives by the Book (the Bible), walks by God’s principles and seeks to let others know that God is in him or her.
Witnessing for Christ simply means telling others what we have personally seen and experienced of the Lord Jesus.
Related Reading: Mrs. J’s Christmas letter
In the Gospel of John chapter 1 and verse 45, we see a man called Philip witnessing about Jesus to his friend named Nathaniel. Immediately after Philip met the Lord, he found Nathaniel and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote, Jesus, the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”
In Psalm 34:8, David said: ‘Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good.’
Bugatti La Voiture Noire is said to be the most expensive car in the world in 2020. It costs over 132 crores in Indian rupees. Now, who can talk about the comfort and luxury of that model of the Bugatti? Only one who has gone on a ride in the car!
You cannot be a witness of Jesus if you have not tasted His love. And, if you have indeed tasted His love you cannot but talk about it.
Witnessing is also a command from God. The church calls it the Great Commission. Christmas is a great time to witness but witnessing need not be a once a year activity. A true Christian is called to be a living witness. In other words, your every day testimony is your daily witness. Our actions speak louder than our words.
William John Thomas was a British writer who lived in the 19th century. He is the one who coined the term folklore. He spent his lifetime debunking human longevity myths. But he is also well known for a great quote. And, I want to read the quote here. He said: “Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some person ever reads.”
Your witness can bring someone to Christ or make him hate Jesus. How are we doing in witnessing? Are we making people or breaking them? Do we attract people to Christ or prevent them from knowing God and inheriting eternal life?
Shall we pray?
Lord, our heavenly Father. We bow our heads and yield our hearts to you this afternoon. We thank you because You spoke to us today. We have heard from You. Thank you for the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. We humbly accept your plan of salvation. We accept that we are totally unworthy of your love and grace. We accept that we are sinners and we need a Savior. Thank you for giving Jesus Christ as our Savior.
It is our prayer that we use the time of Christmas to know the three Ws I talked about today. The Word of God, the worship of God and the witnessing of Christ. May God Himself help us be diligent students of the Scriptures, examine them like the believers in Berea, live according to His statutes, worship God in spirit and truth, present our bodies as living sacrifices and be faithful witnesses of the love and care of God.
Help us navigate this life in faith, hope and love the three things that remain now. In the mighty and blessed Name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
