There’s a lot of controversy about Christmas. People complain about the date we celebrate, the way to celebrate, and even if anyone should care about it at all. There’s good reason you should care. In fact, 2 specific reasons.
Why does Christmas deserve to be celebrated?
Because Christmas changed the world and affected every person’s life in two specific ways.
REASON NUMBER ONE
Christmas affects you personally.
Although Christmas was made a holiday by Constantine it came about because of the birth of a baby named Jesus.
Why should anyone care about a baby named Jesus?
This Jesus became known as Jesus of Nazareth and then Jesus the Christ who changed the time you were born.
History has a timeline. There is BC and AD. BC stands for Before Christ and AD stands for anno domini which means in the year of our Lord.
This change happened because of this Jesus. No other human being has restarted the historical calendar. Only the Jesus of Christmas.
Because of the Jesus of Christmas:
- there is a split in time
- the world started over
- everyone’s date of birth is connected to Christmas
Christmas is the celebration of a birthday that gave you a different birthday than if Christmas had never happened.
You’re forever connected to Christmas.
When you celebrate your birthday, you’re celebrating Christmas.
You’re forever connected to Christmas. Click To Tweet
REASON NUMBER TWO
Christmas gives you value and compassion.
Society is different since the Jesus of Christmas was born.
I have a story.
A year ago, a business owner mistreated my son. Long story short: my son accepted a written offer, then was let go after working eight days with the owner disallowing his unemployment claiming he hadn’t been hired, and he was never an employee. We were dumbfounded! This caused a great deal of emotional and financial distress for him and his wife who was pregnant.
It made me so angry I felt like doing something awful, but I didn’t – because of Christmas.
Christmas gives you value and compassion. Click To TweetHave you ever been so angry with someone you wanted to kill them or used the terminology I’m gonna kill you?
Of course, you have.
Did you kill them?
No, of course, you didn’t and it’s because of Christmas.
Because this Jesus of Christmas changed the value of human life.
Jesus of Nazareth had radical ideas for his time. He showed people a different way to think, see, and live. He treated his fellow man with compassion. He told people to love their enemies. He introduced the world to a new view of God that was full of mercy and invited intimacy.
The religious leaders hated this and plotted to kill him for it.
Kill, as in dead, not a figure of speech.
What? Wasn’t murder against their law?
Why would the religious people act in such a hedonistic, violent way?
Enter the story of Cain and Abel.
Cain killed his brother Able and had no remorse.
Then murderous Cain established the first civilization which followed his ways.
Civilization advanced by treading upon the corpses of those who were “not us” and “not on our side. – Brian Zahnd – Farewell to Mars
Before the Jesus of Christmas (BC) men were unapologetically brutal. For example, Alexander the Great, Pharaoh, Julius Caesar and Ramesses the Great.
The only way we can begin to fathom their brutality is to look at war. But even in war now there are rules. One war (World War 1) even stopped on Christmas because of Christmas.
The reason is that this Jesus was born, and the story of His birth changed our world.
- The story of the birth of one called Jesus, the Messiah, the Christ, is a story of a miracle.
- It’s the story of a benevolent God coming to the earth wearing a human body by supernaturally impregnating a young virgin.
- It is the story of a birth in a foreign place, in a dirty space because they had to travel to appease those in control, to pay taxes.
- It is the story of a birth announcement coming to the lower caste in society, the shepherds out in the field pulling the night shift.
- It is the story of astrologers (some call kings) who followed a certain star to find the king of the Jews so they could worship him.
- It is the story of the political king (Herod) who in his maniacal thirst for power murdered all the boy children two years old and younger in an attempt to kill Jesus, just like Cain killed Abel.
And then there is the rest of the story where this Jesus grows up, spreads His ideas, demonstrates what He says and lays down His life, taking us to His story of Easter.
This Jesus of Christmas elevated the value of the poor, the sick, the weak, the outcast, the marginalized, and the victimized.
Before this Jesus of Christmas, there was no such thing as human rights and we care about human rights.
Before this Jesus of Christmas, there was no such thing as human rights and we care about human rights. Click To TweetThe Jesus of Christmas changed the hearts of people. Compassion was born* in people’s hearts because they saw it on display in the life of Jesus.
Even though there still are some who tread on the corpses of others for their own gain and power, humanity doesn’t take it lightly.
Unremorseful murder is not tolerated. Now awful things are called atrocities. We call it wrong. We work to stop it because we care.
Before the Jesus of Christmas, we didn’t have hospitals, orphanages, relief for the poor, mission trips, Boys Town, Peace Corps, Unicef, Salvation Army, gofundme, Kiva or the other countless ways mankind has innovated to help one another.
Because of this Jesus of Christmas, humanity at large is now capable of a love, a mercy and a grace that was missing before.
Because of this Jesus of Christmas, humanity at large is now capable of a love, a mercy and a grace that was missing before. Click To TweetThese two reasons are why you should care about Christmas.
- Christmas involves you at a personal level.
- Christmas gives you value and compassion.
God gave us this Jesus of Christmas, so we could know how deeply we’re loved.
Christmas, at its core, is God saying
You matter!
Comfort and Joy to you and yours – Because You Matter!
Christmas, at its core, is God saying You matter! Click To Tweet
What Next:
- Please receive this poem Compassion Was Born as my gift to you. Feel free to share it.
- If you’d like a framed copy you can purchase one here.
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This has got to be the best post you’ve ever written! You’ve made me see some things in a totally different way. Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Wow! Thank you, Michael. This message is important to me. I’m so glad I conveyed it well.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Very insightful post. I love how you tie in the history of Christmas to how we conduct ourselves today. In particular, I really liked the anecdote about your son’s past employer because it’s so true. We often get angry at people and use that expression “I could kill him,” but in the Old Testament times, people would have actually followed through on that statement!
Thank you, Kate.
I learned a lot from Brian Zahnd’s book Farewell to Mars about the history. I found it quite intriguing myself.
Thanks for sharing.
where does it say in the Bible to celebrate Christmas? None of The Apostles says anything about celebrating the birth of Crist.