THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST AT CHRISTMAS

We live in a generation that loves to interpret the Bible in a way that fits their lifestyle. I have heard this a lot lately and even this week as I was talking to someone about the Lord when I was out running an errand. They said: “I just think God has such a sense of humor and that Jesus is displaying his sense of humor throughout the Gospels.” The notion being that Christ was a light hearted jovial Savior and wanted everyone to have a good time. We often don't have a clear picture of who Christ was because we often only see what we want to see.

Even at Christmas time, we tend to place an overly glorious emphasis on it. Certainly the angels proclaimed "Glory to God in the Highest," the shepherds came and worshipped that first night, and later - the wise men came from afar. Other that those three instances the circumstances around the birth of Christ were at best mundane, often straining, and even terrifying. Imagine, living in a day where you had to travel riding on an ass or even walking while leading one and end up somewhere with no place to stay and having your first child alone with no help in an animal stall. Think about fleeing to to foreign country because people were seeking to slay your child. Imagine how that scores if not a few hundred babies and children were killed in the town (Bethlehem) because they were looking for you and to slay your child.

These were the events that surrounded Christ's birth. But it was not just his birth - the Bible says that the Lord was "a man of sorrows acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3). It teaches us that if we are to know His power, it comes not through victories and successes or through a jovial feel good positive attitude, but rather through "the fellowship of HIS sufferings being made conformable to His death" (Philippians 3:10).

Man has always tried to project what he wants God to be, making God in his image. But know that we were made in God’s image. Remember as we approach our Christmas holiday that Christ was not joking around when He came - but was sober and purposeful His time on earth. Remember that He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief - not the biggest personality in the room. He was making Himself of no reputation and seeking to serve not seeking His own following. A stark difference to what this generation is seeking to be.

Yes, the Bible says in Luke 2:14 that peace had come to man - but the peace here is not an absences of trials or struggles, but a peace on in the inner man regardless of the chaos that may be around. This peace can only be through repentance and faith in Christ and consistent walk with God. It is available to all of us - let's make sure we make it real in our lives.

- Pastor Mark Sage

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