With Thanksgiving over, it’s time to officially kick off the Christmas season — and I love this time of year. For me it’s usually associated with fond memories of Christmas’ past, the excitement of Stewart’s Shops beginning to stock eggnog, and now that I’m a daddy (x2), the joy of toy shopping! (Ok, OK, so I would go toy shopping even before I was a daddy, but now I get to feel less strange about doing it.)
But, one of my favorite aspects about the Christmas holiday is that it forces everybody to make a decision about Jesus. Despite the best efforts of secularization, you can’t separate Christmas from the birth of Christ — Christ is intrinsic to the season. He’s sung about in our Christmas carols, incorporated into just about every Christmas story and every nativity scene he stars in serves as a reminder about the origins of the season.
The scriptures reveal two possible ways for you to see Christ during the Christmas season — you can either see him as the shepherds did or as the King Herod did.
A Shepherd’s View
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
- Luke 2:8-11
When the shepherds heard the news of the coming king, it was met with joy. A Savior was coming into the world — a source of redemption and great joy for all people through all time. This was a cause for reverent celebration because surely this would mean that lives would be changed!
A King’s View
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
When the king heard of the coming king, the news was met with vexation. A new king was coming into the world — a source of authority for all people through all time. This was a cause for caution and concern because surely this would mean that lives would be changed!
Your Choice
I know this post is a little preachier than the topics I usually like to post, but this is an important question: How will you see Jesus this season? Will you see him as the shepherds did — a hope for a world gone very wrong and a cause for celebration — or will you see him as King Herod did — as a threats to your way of life? I would urge you to consider this carefully as there is no way around it. You’ll have to make a choice one way or another.
