A Christmas message with love

Few years back we were at a function and the mayor of the city was invited to preside over the Christmas function. As she proceeded to give her speech, to my surprise, she said, ‘” here we are to celebrate the birthday of Santa Claus.”. Ofcourse next reaction (of public) was thunderous laughter.

I wasn’t angry, neither amused. It was sad for me to know how unaware people are about Christmas. All the more unhappy situation is, before saying ‘yes’ for presiding over a function, they don’t even bother to do their ‘homework’.

Mall culture has taken a gigantic leap. They are so well decorated with “santa claus’ toys, sleighs, bells and red dresses, and red caps with pompoms during Christmas, that its easy for people to fall into the trap of mistaking Christmas as birth celebration of ‘ our very own jolly santa claus clad in red dress on his sleigh of reindeers bringing gifts for children’.

Origin of Santa Claus is basically a commercial venture by two New Yorkers ___ Clement Clark Moore and Thomas Nast. They must not have anticipated that this effort would be such a huge commercial success as well as so popular with children.

The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back to hundreds of years to a monk named St. Nicholas, believed to be born sometime around 280 A.D. In Patara near Myra in modern day Turkey. Known for his piety and kindness (gave away all his wealth for helping poor and sick, saving children from slavery and prostitution ) he became popular. He was a good man. And the effort (commercial) was good.

But, He is NOT the reason for Christmas celebration?

Real reason for Christmas?

We celebrate the “LIGHT OF THE WORD” “JESUS CHRIST”S BIRTH”.

Luke 2:7, “And she gave birth to her Son , her firstborn and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room or place for them in the inn( Is there room in your life for Him, His ideas, salvation that He offers in love?)

Luke 2:11, “ ….For to you is born this day in the town of David a Savior, Who is Christ (the Messiah) the Lord ! (Mic. 5:2) Do we understand the significance? Probably no.

Why He( Jesus) came on earth?

Luke 1:68-79 , “ Blessed be the Lord , the God of Israel, because He has come and brought deliverance and redemption for His people !

“And He has raised up a Horn of salvation (a mighty and valiant Helper, the Author of Salvation,) for us in the house of David His servant .”

“ That we should have deliverance and be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who detest and pursue us with hatred”.

“To make true and show the mercy and compassion and kindness to our forefathers and to remember and carry out His Holy covenant , that covenant He sealed by oath to our forefather Abraham”.

“ To bring and give knowledge of salvation to His people in the forgiveness and remission of their sins. “( Mostly people believe that if they are living a decent life and not troubling or harming others, they are free from sins. But truth is “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23. Romans 5:12 says, “ Therefore , just as sin came into the world through one man(Adam), death spread to all men because all sinned. So the gist of it? We all are sinners and Christ is remission of our sins.

One of the primary reasons for Christ’s coming to earth…….” To shine upon and give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct and guide our feet in a straight line into the way of peace” (Luke 2:79, Isaiah 9:2).

As parents, as siblings, as relatives and as friends, we all know how lost the world is, in hatred, in drug abuse, adultery, murders,……endless list. Families are broken, lives are lost and love is the last thing people have for each other. Quintessential “peace” is absent in life.

Jesus , the Prince of Peace, came on earth to fill us with His peace (that surpasses all human understanding, Philippians 4:7))

Luke 3:4-6, “…….Prepare the way of the Lord, make His beaten paths straight. Every Valley and ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be levelled, and the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough roads shall be made smooth. And all mankind shall see (behold and understand and at acknowledge ) the Salvation of God (the deliverance from eternal death decreed by God) (Isaiah 40:3-5)

So With love a request to all. ….this time on , whenever you celebrate Christmas, know the reasons first, why you are celebrating. It’s a celebration of freedom from worldly bondages.

Christmas is all about Christ. It’s not about getting drunk, or splurging on toys and trees, neither stands for getting tied up in new wordly bondages.

It’s all about celebrating “Freedom”, celebrating the Prince of Peace and the salvation He offers.

Next time you hear someone doing the mistake of thinking 25th December as Santa Claus’s birthday, please make a loving effort to update them about the real reason of Christmas. You will not only help someone with Truth, but also help them understand why we celebrate the day , the way we do . It might lead them to Christ and to salvation.

Share with them Who Christ is—–

We celebrate “the Lamb of God, our Deliverer, Chief Cornerstone, Lord of Lords, King of the Universe, our Strength and our Song, The Anointed One, Holy one of Israel, Lord of Hosts, Rock of all ages, Living Waters, True Vine, our Fortress, our Salvation, our Righteousness, our Wisdom, our Sanctification, our Covenant, our Portion, Our Cup, our Joy, the Everlasting One, the Just Judge, our Defence, our Provider, Comfortor, the Beginning and the End, Alpha and Omega, our Foundation, Resurrection, and above all….worthy of all Praises!”