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The Christmas Challenge We’re a family that enjoys Christmas. Every year
we decorate the house with Christmas trees, tinsel, flashing lights,
candles and all kinds of ornaments. This year is no different. The same
can be said of my wife’s family. They also love decorating their
houses. The only difference this year--in our own home--is that I did
not help. I had to work on the day the house had to be decorated. At the end of my working day I
walked into the decorated house and it hit my like a ton of bricks.
Where is Christ? Yeah, I know He lives within my heart. I am saved by
grace alone through faith alone in the work of Christ alone! Yet, with
regard to the decorations in the house, where was He? There is a Santa
on the wall unit… Santas on the wall unit. Santas on the Christmas
tree…Santas everywhere! But…where is Christ? Is this not the season
we celebrate the birth of Christ? Then how is it that we decorate our
houses with an incremental amount of Santas, tinsel, lights and other
trinkets every year, but Christ is hardly anywhere to be found? Sure, we
do have a scene of the birth of Christ; however, it is tiny and lonely
in comparison to the rest of the Christmas garb! Have we forgotten Christ?
Contrary to the cry from many Christians to put Christ “back” into
Christmas, I contend that many of these same Christians forget Christ
every Christmas! Sure, the world has taken Christ out of Christmas and
made it merely another holiday to celebrate in drunken festivities. But,
so what? If the world does not know how to put Christ “back” into
Christmas, who can blame them? They are without Christ, remember? How
can we ask the world to put Christ “back” into Christmas if they do
not know Christ? They are a lost and dying world! How do you expect them
to celebrate Christmas? If your answer here is anything else but worldly
revelry, then you misunderstand the human condition. Read my article on
the condition of the world at http://teachingtruth.cjb.net/studies/worldasitis.htm.
The world, or any government for that matter, is not in the business of
putting Christ “back” into anything! The further they can get from
Christ, the happier they will be, unless, of course, Christ steps into
their individual lives and brings them to repentance through his
kindness. So, as Christians, whom do we
have to blame but ourselves? We are the ones who have taken Christ out
of Christmas, and replaced Him with all kinds of Christless Christmas
paraphernalia. Before you point fingers at the world, shouting to put
Christ “back” into Christmas, perhaps you should stand in front of a
mirror pointing and shouting at yourself! You are to blame if you find
to little of Christ in Christmas!
Yeah, yeah, you claim to
create a joyful environment of memories for your children to remember
for years to come, but as a Christian you owe it to yourself and your
children to create memories of Christ over Christmas time! It is easy to
say that our children know that Christmas is about Christ and not Santa,
but do you know it? If you do, then prove it by showing Christ in your
home a bit more than you do Santa! (I am preaching to myself and my own
family here!) We have created idols of
Christmas trappings and we have not realised it yet! If you believe that
these Christmas accessories are not idols in your life…(think before
you answer this challenge), then remove all your Christmas trinkets and
replace them with things that will remind you directly of Christ! Do not
come up with a knee-jerk reaction here! They are invariably wrong. It is
time for us as Christians to think about this challenge for longer than
it takes us to put up all the Christmas baggage in our houses. This is
as much a challenge to me and my house as it is to you! It is okay to decorate your
house with Christmas goodies, but when these goodies do not show the
King of the celebration, then do not claim that you celebrate it for the
King. Christ has sole command of your heart, or so He should. Now prove
it! I can see why so many
Christians are questioning the celebration of Christmas and are now
starting to remove all Christmas furnishings from their homes in order
to restore Christ to Christmas. Idols are funny things are they not.
They creep into our lives, and somehow they create this wholesome view
for us to see. Next, we start seeing how good it is to have them, since
they are not idols. So, by the
time we are confronted with a claim that we harbour idols in our lives,
we quickly jump in to defend ourselves and our idols denying their idolness.
If idols were that ugly and gruesome, then they would never find a place
in our lives. However, in the western world, they have recreated
themselves into very acceptable images, like Christmas paraphernalia.
Many of these idols have changed themselves to look acceptable to the
point of even being wholesome. So, as Christians we jump into the fray
to create an environment of wholesomeness for our children, but in the
event we have created an environment of idol worship, distracting our
hearts and eyes from Christ, the “reason” for the “season!” We
need to deal with idols as king Josiah did (2
Ki 23:4-20). They need to be destroyed! Christ will not share His
place with anyone or anything! He is absolutely jealous of your heart! So, if you want Christ back in
Christmas, then you put Him
back! The world will not do it. Why should they? They do not belong to
Christ, but you do! It is your move. Make the right one! Amen! Copyright © 2004 [Teaching
the Truth]. All rights reserved. Revised: May 05, 2004 .
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