I remember reading a book asking this question a few years ago, and got into some great discussions with people when we considered what three words we’d use to describe Christmas.[1] If you’re short on conversation on Christmas day, give it a go!
What words would you use?
Presents?
Family?
Happiness?
Sadness?
Relaxing?
Stressful?
Perhaps they reflect many people’s experience of Christmas, but the three words I would use for Christmas are: Real, Hopeful & Amazing. Let’s consider each briefly.
Real
Christmas is real.
When we remove the tinsel, the Christmas lights, and Santa, if we strip it all back then we come to realise why we celebrate Christmas. It’s not ultimately about family or presents, as great as they are! It’s not about a Christmas tree (which isn’t pagan by the way!), even though I love a good tree to smell and look at!
So what is it about?
The clue is in the name – Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ.
Christians don’t celebrate it because we think it’s a nice holiday. We celebrate it because we believe Jesus was born around 2000 years ago and his birth is worth celebrating. We celebrate Christmas because we believe the events of Jesus’ birth were real.
Now we know it is highly unlikely he was born on 25 December – this date was likely picked because early Christians traditionally held that Gabriel told Mary she would conceive on 25 March – and nine months later is 25 December – ergo Christmas![2]
The date is almost inconsequential – it is the reality behind the date. At some point in history Jesus was born and that birth is worth celebrating. The birth of Jesus was real.
Both Luke and Matthew in their Gospels show that Jesus was real by placing him in history alongside real historical characters in a real historical location in history.[3] And even though there is the element of the supernatural with the virgin birth and angels, it doesn’t make it any less real. In fact, it makes it all the more real, because if there is a God you’d expect the supernatural to be involved!
So let me say again, Jesus’ birth happened a long time ago and is worth celebrating, as the Shepherds and the Magi did, by praising God (Luke 2:20) and worshipping Jesus (Matthew 2:11)
Hopeful
My favourite carol ‘Holy Night’ has these wonderful words in it – ‘A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices. For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn’.
It beautifully captures the reality of Christmas in the midst of a broken and weary world. Christmas is about hope. Hope beyond our troubles. Hope beyond our weariness. Hope beyond the darkness of this world. Hope of a rescuer.
It was a hope predicated hundreds of years ago. Matthew shows us this in his account.[4] It was the hope of a king who would rescue his people. A king who would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2,4) but more than that – a king who would be known as Immanuel – God with Us (Isaiah 7:14).
This promise from Isaiah was set in dark times for the people of God, who were looking for hope. Who were looking for God to rescue them from despair and weariness. And God promised he would send a sign – a sign of hope for the nations. One who would bring light out of darkness and lift the gloom from a distressed world. One who would bring peace and joy – one who would save people from their rebellion and the grip of evil in this world.
Christmas is about the hope of Jesus coming into this world to give us life in death, to give us light in darkness. To give us peace in the chaos of life. To heal us from the curse of a fractured world. To forgive us from our rejection of God himself.
If you’re searching for hope this Christmas, look to Jesus who is the only hope for a broken world.
Amazing
Finally, Christmas, when you really consider it, is amazing! Think about it. This is that point in history when God shows up on earth. When the Immanuel of Isaiah 7:14 – (which means God with Us) comes into this world!
That is pretty amazing.
The Son of God takes on flesh to become the God-man. He gives up the riches of heaven for poverty on earth, the highest of heights for lowly squalor, the eternal throne for a simple manger. Stunning.
No wonder people were amazed when the shepherds told them about what they’d seen. As Luke says: ‘When they [the shepherds] had seen him [Jesus], they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them’ (Luke 2:17-18).
And what did the shepherds see?
Consider an angel in his mighty brilliance turning up at night and announcing: ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger’ (Luke 2:10-12).
Consider a host of angels praising God to you in the night saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests’ (Luke 2:14).
And consider the baby in the manger. The king of kings. God with Us lying asleep. Consider his name Jesus – which means he will save people from their sins (Matt 1:21).
Just consider the impact of the angels and the content of the message and no wonder people were amazed.
This is that moment in history where we say ‘wow!’
God came down to earth. There’s nothing more mind blowing than that. Apart from maybe, that same God dying on a cross…
[1] The book is a little booklet by Vaughan Roberts, Christmas in Three Words (The Good Book Company, 2007). The three words he used were – historical, joyful, and essential.
[2] Some early Christians thought 25 March was the day the world was made, and the day Christ died at Easter time so it also held some special significance. The 25 March is the date for the Feast of the Annunciation, marking the time when Gabriel told Mary she would conceive. This was probably celebrated as early as the fourth century; the same century we have the earliest recorded celebration of Christmas on 25 December. For information about the myths of when and why Christmas is celebrated on 25 December see this blog by a non-Christian classical historian…https://kiwihellenist.blogspot.com/2015/12/christmas-and-its-supposed-pagan-links.html
[3] We know that Matthew’s portrayal of King Herod is entirely within character of Herod near the end of his life. He killed one of his wives, a son and even arranged to have lots of people killed on the day of his death so there’d be lots of mourning – thankfully this last event didn’t take place! Jesus wasn’t born in some fantastical place like Olympus – he was born in a real town (Bethlehem) near a real city (Jerusalem) at a real point of time in history – likely around the years 8-5BC because we know Herod died in 4BC.
[4] Matthew 1:18-2:18.
