Trees, decorations, lights, giving of gifts, parties, family gatherings, cards, television specials, and the occasional creche or performance of the Messiah, these are the trappings of the season. In and of themselves, they are not bad things. But they do have the power to obscure the biblical foundation of Christmas. Consider the following words from an oft-sung carol heard at this time of year:
God rest you merry, gentlemen,
let nothing you dismay,
remember Christ our Savior
was born on Christmas day,
to save us all from Satan's pow'r
when we were gone astray;
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.
There’s a lot of important information in that verse that has been lost in the clutter of all the goings-on of the “holiday season.” Alas, the tune is no longer a celebration of salvation. Instead, it has become part of the shopping mall playlist or rendered background music for a trip up the elevator.
I’m not griping. I’m grieving.
The Bible relates that the birth of Jesus signals the fulfillment of God’s word. “As it is written,” “this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken,” “for so it is written by the prophet,” all point to the reality that God had planned this redemption long before, from before the foundation of the world, in fact. He purposed that he would “save his people from their sins” and sent his son to accomplish the task. Those with eyes to see and ears to hear understood that the one born in Bethlehem was the substance of God’s promises.
I may be deluded, but it seems that generations past were aware of these basic facts. I have a feeling that when they sang Christmas carols they knew enough of the story to know what the words spoke of, even if they didn’t believe them.
A lot of ground has been lost. Our neighbors are ignorant. That’s why we need to be educated and to educate. Pray that our Christmas Primer will go some distance in helping us to make the biblical foundation of the season known.
God rest you merry, gentlemen,
let nothing you dismay,
remember Christ our Savior
was born on Christmas day,
to save us all from Satan's pow'r
when we were gone astray;
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.
There’s a lot of important information in that verse that has been lost in the clutter of all the goings-on of the “holiday season.” Alas, the tune is no longer a celebration of salvation. Instead, it has become part of the shopping mall playlist or rendered background music for a trip up the elevator.
I’m not griping. I’m grieving.
The Bible relates that the birth of Jesus signals the fulfillment of God’s word. “As it is written,” “this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken,” “for so it is written by the prophet,” all point to the reality that God had planned this redemption long before, from before the foundation of the world, in fact. He purposed that he would “save his people from their sins” and sent his son to accomplish the task. Those with eyes to see and ears to hear understood that the one born in Bethlehem was the substance of God’s promises.
I may be deluded, but it seems that generations past were aware of these basic facts. I have a feeling that when they sang Christmas carols they knew enough of the story to know what the words spoke of, even if they didn’t believe them.
A lot of ground has been lost. Our neighbors are ignorant. That’s why we need to be educated and to educate. Pray that our Christmas Primer will go some distance in helping us to make the biblical foundation of the season known.
