Getting To The Real Meaning Of Christmas
December 18, 2023/in Monday Manna /by Robert J. Tamasy
Ready or not, the calendar year is rapidly coming to a close. This means it is time once again to celebrate two holidays many of us find very meaningful – Christmas and New Year’s Day. This week we will focus on the annual Christmas observance; next week we will look at what the start of a new year can mean.
For many businesses, what stands out about Christmas is not that it is a religious holiday. It is often the determining factor for whether the fiscal year can be regarded as a good one or not. Retail sales typically soar, not only with the purchasing of Christmas gifts but also for any merchandise that relates in some way to holiday festivities. The profitability of the Christmas season greatly affects whether a company’s bottom line looks black or red; whether year-end bonuses can be awarded; and whether the business is positioned for growth or budget tightening at the start of the new year.
For many of us, Christmas encompasses a multitude of personal considerations, from deciding on the perfect gifts for our loved ones, planning attendance at parties and special events, to the joyous gathering of family and friends for festive meals. And, of course, it’s also the season for giving, prompting thoughtful reflections on charitable contributions. Amidst all these aspects, one delightful way to spread holiday cheer is by exploring the world of christmas hampers—a heartfelt and practical addition to your festive celebrations.
All of these are valid concerns. However, for followers of Jesus Christ, none is more important than making certain to take time to recognize and celebrate “the real reason for the season” – the birth of Jesus, the Son of God. Or as Matthew 1:23 tells us, “Immanuel – which means, ‘God with us.’” Without Jesus Christ, there would be no need for Christmas. The Scriptures show that clearly:
God took on human form. In the person of Jesus Christ, we find the Creator of the world becoming an active participant in the world He created. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:1-3).
Jesus came to dispel the darkness. Our world seems to be increasingly dark, evil manifesting itself in many forms. The 21stcentury marketplace is no exception. One of the reasons Jesus came to earth was to cast the darkness aside, to show people the way from darkness and desperation to light and hope. “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it” (John 1:4-5). “When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12).
Jesus came to pay a price we could not pay. The Bible teaches the penalty for our sinfulness, our conscious rebellion against God, is a greater price than anything we could ever pay. So, in His mercy and grace, Jesus went to the cross to pay that price on our behalf. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus came to offer us new life. We justify our human failings, saying, “I’m only human.” Jesus, who not only died but also was raised from the dead, offers us new life spiritually, freeing us from what the Bible calls bondage to sin. “The death He died, He died to sin once for all, but the life He lives, He lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:10-11).
© 2023. Robert J. Tamasy has written Marketplace Ambassadors: CBMC’s Continuing Legacy of Evangelism and Discipleship; Business at Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace; Pursuing Life With a Shepherd’s Heart, coauthored with Ken Johnson; and The Heart of Mentoring, coauthored with David A. Stoddard. Bob’s biweekly blog is: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.
