The clutter of Christmas

When I look at all the activity this time of year, I have to admit that I’m concerned that a person can get caught up in what I’m calling the clutter of Christmas.  By this I mean that a person can become so enamored with cooking Christmas meals for the family, attending Christmas parties, decorating the house with lights, finding the perfect Christmas gifts, and singing songs about Santa Claus that they effectively miss the real reason for this season. There’s nothing wrong with all the activities I’ve just mentioned, but far too many will neglect celebrating Jesus Christ in any way whatsoever.

The fact of the matter is God had a plan. He said through the prophet Isaiah that one day a child would be born who would be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). That’s Jesus, of course. But this same prophet, Isaiah, also predicted that there would come a day when Jesus would die a substitutionary death. Isaiah 53:5: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

Mel Gibson’s film “The Passion of the Christ” is, in my opinion, a masterpiece. It’s hard to watch. It’s brutal. It’s intense. But it’s a realistic cinematic depiction of Jesus’ suffering. At the very beginning of this film, the verse I just quoted – Isaiah 53:5 – is cited. This gives the viewer an important context. It explains that the suffering, bloodshed, and violence against Jesus wasn’t random or accidental; it had a clear purpose: it was for your sin and my sin.

Jesus was the only one qualified to pay the sin of the entire world. He paid our “sin debt” as Charles Stanley often puts it. The opportunity is now available, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, to have a right relationship with God. John 3:36 says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life.” A person just has to put their faith and trust in Jesus. Incidentally, if you haven’t done this, I urge you to do so today. He will forgive you and cleanse you of your sins. He will make you a child of God. John 1:12 tells us, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

This Christmas enjoy the gifts, the food, the parties, the family get-togethers, the Christmas lights on the houses, the mistletoe, and so on, but don’t let the clutter of Christmas distract you. Make a concerted effort to celebrate Jesus Christ. Celebrate that He was born from the womb of a virgin, and that He died a terrible death out of pure love for you. Celebrate also that Jesus’ tomb was not the end; Jesus arose from the dead. He is alive!

Kevin