Christmas is special.
Would you agree?
'Xmas means different things to different people. As a kid, I always imagined the christmas tree decorated with dazzling lights, and surrounded by colourfully wrapped presents, all for me of course. And who could forget the times of watching Home Alone, laughing along to Kevin McCallister's triumph over the bad guys who try to spoil the spirit of Christmas. But, hold on a second...what is the spirit of Christmas?
Lately I've been reflecting on what exactly is it about Christmas that I celebrate. It is definitely no longer the toys or presents that I celebrate. In fact, I don't want things anymore for Christmas and I want to avoid the malls except for getting a gift for my loved ones who would really enjoy it.
So then, what do I celebrate about Christmas? What do you celebrate? And I guess the bigger question is...why should I celebrate?
Now I'm not trying to disregard those who celebrate other festive holidays like Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. What I do want to think about is why we celebrate whatever we celebrate. For me in my North American context, the consumerism of Christmas is huge and, frankly, scares me a bit. It's not only the sight of the overloaded parking lots but also the attitudes of needing to "find the best deals" and to "get what I deserve" that makes me sit back and think about Christmas. And the image of Santa Claus makes me think...it seems we've transformed Santa into a semi-divine being who will grant us our wish if only we are a "good boy or good girl." I wonder if even as a Christian, there is a tendency to view our God as an impersonal, detached God who grants us our wish if we put on our best behaviour and do good deeds.
For those who want to think a bit more...read on...
Certainly, most of us would say Christmas is about spending time with family, right? Or for those of us who claim to believe in Jesus, it's about remembering our saviour's birth, right? I definitely believe in both of those, and yet I wonder if there is more behind the attitude in the way we carry it out...so, let me share my story.
Growing up as a Christian, I thought that this time of the year was about gifts and being nice to each other; yet, I knew that the sunday school answer was to say that Christmas is about remembering the birth of Jesus. Please don't misunderstand me because I'm not blaming anything on sunday school. In fact, I am thankful for how it has helped me remember the nativity story. However, all I knew was that Jesus came on earth to die for us, and was resurrected in victory over sin, so that we could have eternal life in heaven. That sounds nice and simple...that's the Gospel story, right?
In the past while, especially being influenced by N.T. Wright, I have been thinking about why in most of my life, I have only thought of the Gospel in terms of Jesus dying, resurrecting, and then saving me from my sins. Before I enrage any of you, let me affirm that I believe in the centrality of Jesus' death and resurrection, which indeed rescues us from our sins. However, with all the talk we have about Jesus dying for our sins...what about the LIFE of Jesus on earth? How did he live? How do the Gospels (emphasis on plurality) show us the life of Jesus, in the way he lived out God's kingdom?
It seems that most of my life I have simplified and reduced King Jesus, the Son of God, the great I AM, into a personal-salvation-based Gospel, rather than exploring how Jesus inaugurates the Kingdom of God in the Four Gospels.
Would you agree?
'Xmas means different things to different people. As a kid, I always imagined the christmas tree decorated with dazzling lights, and surrounded by colourfully wrapped presents, all for me of course. And who could forget the times of watching Home Alone, laughing along to Kevin McCallister's triumph over the bad guys who try to spoil the spirit of Christmas. But, hold on a second...what is the spirit of Christmas?
Lately I've been reflecting on what exactly is it about Christmas that I celebrate. It is definitely no longer the toys or presents that I celebrate. In fact, I don't want things anymore for Christmas and I want to avoid the malls except for getting a gift for my loved ones who would really enjoy it.
So then, what do I celebrate about Christmas? What do you celebrate? And I guess the bigger question is...why should I celebrate?
Now I'm not trying to disregard those who celebrate other festive holidays like Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. What I do want to think about is why we celebrate whatever we celebrate. For me in my North American context, the consumerism of Christmas is huge and, frankly, scares me a bit. It's not only the sight of the overloaded parking lots but also the attitudes of needing to "find the best deals" and to "get what I deserve" that makes me sit back and think about Christmas. And the image of Santa Claus makes me think...it seems we've transformed Santa into a semi-divine being who will grant us our wish if only we are a "good boy or good girl." I wonder if even as a Christian, there is a tendency to view our God as an impersonal, detached God who grants us our wish if we put on our best behaviour and do good deeds.
For those who want to think a bit more...read on...
Certainly, most of us would say Christmas is about spending time with family, right? Or for those of us who claim to believe in Jesus, it's about remembering our saviour's birth, right? I definitely believe in both of those, and yet I wonder if there is more behind the attitude in the way we carry it out...so, let me share my story.
Growing up as a Christian, I thought that this time of the year was about gifts and being nice to each other; yet, I knew that the sunday school answer was to say that Christmas is about remembering the birth of Jesus. Please don't misunderstand me because I'm not blaming anything on sunday school. In fact, I am thankful for how it has helped me remember the nativity story. However, all I knew was that Jesus came on earth to die for us, and was resurrected in victory over sin, so that we could have eternal life in heaven. That sounds nice and simple...that's the Gospel story, right?
In the past while, especially being influenced by N.T. Wright, I have been thinking about why in most of my life, I have only thought of the Gospel in terms of Jesus dying, resurrecting, and then saving me from my sins. Before I enrage any of you, let me affirm that I believe in the centrality of Jesus' death and resurrection, which indeed rescues us from our sins. However, with all the talk we have about Jesus dying for our sins...what about the LIFE of Jesus on earth? How did he live? How do the Gospels (emphasis on plurality) show us the life of Jesus, in the way he lived out God's kingdom?
It seems that most of my life I have simplified and reduced King Jesus, the Son of God, the great I AM, into a personal-salvation-based Gospel, rather than exploring how Jesus inaugurates the Kingdom of God in the Four Gospels.
"The time is fulfilled!" he said; "God's kingdom is arriving!
Turn back, and believe the good news!"
-Mark 1:15
The Kingdom of God, as Wright says, is the reign of God on earth. It is not merely about personal salvation by believing in Jesus (I do not contend that nor is there space to fully explain here) but Jesus' life on earth was about a new way of living, a new way of doing that was counter cultural and God-focused. It meant turning away from your current way of life, and witnessing how life in community is different when Jesus becomes KING. He is both yours and my personal King, as well as King over my family, my friendships, and my way of life in relation to others. For me, it's been about how to appreciate my family, and how do I speak lovingly and build up others in the way that Jesus would. And how do I start building meaningful and intentional friendships that help young people grow into the character of Christ?
That, my friends, is the good news. It is the news that we can live under the reign of King Jesus, the king who loved the poor, the king who ate with the oppressed and marginalized, the king who died for yours and my sins on the cross so that we may experience a new way of living under his reign of love, grace, mercy, and power. He is why I celebrate Christmas.
That is what I am beginning to see as the Gospel story of King Jesus.
And that is just the beginning.
And that is just the beginning.
