Christmas Yet To Come

 “I will make you a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” -Isaiah 49:6 

  “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life and the life was the light of me. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” - John 1:1-5

      I watched a movie concerning author Charles Dickens’ attempt at writing the classic “A Christmas Carol.”  This was a very difficult time in Dickens’ life. After a series of initial successes, he seemed to have hit the wall. Not one, but three literary duds were released by him that were poorly received by the public and panned by critics and newspaper reviewers. Looming over his head was the pressure to turn out another hit. In addition to the criticism of the literary reviewers, who dismissed him as being “washed up”, was the financial obligations and debt that were rapidly surrounding him and making the prospect of default seem very real. Everything he and his family owned were dependent upon the success of his new book. What made the movie interesting was that these failures, doubts and insecurities were internalized into the very core of Dickens. Debtors prison and work houses were all images he had known from his boyhood days. Moody, depressed and despondent, Dickens was facing internal fears and obstacles that seemed to doom any effort to release a new bestseller. In the process, he had alienated himself from his wife, his father and his family. The depth of his fear and insecurities were presented so strongly that it seemed I was actually in his shoes! The characters we know from the book: Scrooge, Marley and the three spirits of Christmas were not just fictional creations of his pen, but also personified images of his real internal struggles; his own Christmas ghosts; his own chains forged with his own hands. His constant companion throughout the movie was Ebenezer Scrooge who was a drag and a hindrance to his hope of a breakthrough until he was able to remove the chains that held him hostage.

    Are we facing this Christmas season like Dickens, with so many struggles dragging down any hope we have in the birth of Christ? Have we become like Scrooge, thinking ’Oh, it's just another holiday- Bah Humbug!’

   I have heard it said that we can look at any event in life from two very distinct perspectives: the secular and the sacred. How about Christmas? “How can I retain that Christmas joy while keeping Christ’s birth at the forefront?” That is a great question for it captures the sacredness of the season; the essence of Christmas yet to come. Let’s look at this concept in detail.

  If someone asked you the question; “What is the true meaning of Christmas,” how would you respond? Do not downplay your response as it is an important aspect of evangelizing - showing the hope of Jesus Christ in a world that clearly is seeking. Many are “loving the season” but missing the reason for the season.

  Think about what is promised at Christmas time. We are promised peace, joy, hope and love. The Christmas event celebrates the birth of the Prince of Peace. Yet from our human perspective how do things appear? Are we really looking for Christ’s birth? We anticipate, we communicate, we celebrate the birth and then what? Things go back to the way they were before Christmas.

Where is the peace, the joy, the hope and the love? I challenge one and all to read the prophecy of Jesus differently each year. Prophecy must be read, interpreted and applied without human confines. What I am saying is do not look at what is happening in the world and wonder ‘when will God finally act?’ Instead look at the prophecy of Jesus through the present and the future meanings, which can be repeated and applied in various situations as the Spirit prompts. Look for its manifestations - light in the darkness. Be filled with the hope of the future.

  The story of Christmas yet to come challenges us to a maturity in our Christian walk. It shatters conventional understandings of Christmas through this difficult by realistic Bible passage. We move past reindeer, Santa and those Christmas events such as presents, parties and food. Instead we see we enter the reality of a fallen world with combating realities of darkness and light, of good and evil. In the gravity of the world situation, the middle ground which may seem comfortable does not really exist. This age old struggle will lead us to our appointed destination with Jesus: the cross and Resurrection. The contrast between darkness and light is one that disrupts the Silent Night of Christmas - “I bring you great news of great joy for everyone; the Savior has been born this night. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

I encourage one and all to read the Christmas story with new eyes - look for the light of the Savior and trust in Him!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Pastor Harry