The Christmas Christian

We’ve all heard the saying: Jesus is the reason for the season; it’s a caption on your Christmas cards, a sign in your house, or maybe even written out with lights on the side of your fence.

In the midst of the holiday season, it is easy to get wrapped up (no pun intended) in the presents, the story of Santa Claus, and the avalanche of Christmas songs, making us prone to forgetting why we celebrate Christmas in the first place.

“Jesus is the reason for the season” briefly brings us back to the meaning of the 25^th of December. However, though unintentional I’m sure, I can’t help but think that the catchy phrase puts Jesus in a box, a gift-wrapped, Christmas-lit box. Yes, Jesus IS the reason for the season, but He is so much more than that. Jesus is the reason for life, for everything!

Ecclesiastes 3 talks about how for everything there is a season, but there should never be just a season to celebrate Christ. So, in order to prevent the “Christmas Christian”, I’ve put together a list of qualities Christians exhibit exclusively during the holiday season and a few verses on what the bible says about each of those qualities.

Characteristics of a Christian during the Christmas season:

Thankful

When we are surrounded by loved ones and showered with gifts, it is easy to portray an attitude of thankfulness. In addition, at no other time of year are we being constantly reminded of how fortunate we are and how much we have to be thankful for. While the world tells us that it is sufficient to only be thankful during the Christmas season, the bible tells us that we need to be thankful at all times and in all circumstances.

“You have turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.” –Psalm 30:11 & 12

“Be joyful always, pray continuously, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Joyful

The word Christmas is basically synonymous with joy. From jolly old St. Nick to Joy to the World, the Christmas season is just ringing with bells of bliss! The Bible, however, tells us that we should be joyful always because our joy is found in Christ- not just during the Christmas season, but in all seasons of life! In fact, we are also called to be joyful during times of struggle and suffering.

“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” –Romans 5:3-5

“Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of the Messiah, so that you may also rejoice with great joy at the revelation of His glory” -1 Peter 4:13

Hopeful

Whether it’s hoping for a cool gift or just hoping to get through a week with the in-laws, the Christmas season is full of hope. The biggest hope of all, of course, is that which is found in Christ. Bask in that hope each day. Don't let your hope depend on the presence of a Christmas tree. Let your hope depend on an unchanging God. 

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” –Romans 15:13

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." –John 16:33

Generous

We’ve all heard stories of generosity during the holidays: a stranger paying for coffee or groceries, countless toy drives and Salvation Army donations. But why do we only feel generous during the holiday season? How can it be so easy to donate our toys, time, and money for the sake of a reindeer-delivered Christmas present, yet we have such a hard time doing the same thing for the sake of Christ’s name throughout the rest of the year? Look at Jesus. He gave us everything! He humbled himself to death on a cross (Philippians 2:8) and gave his body (Luke 22:19) so that our sins may be wiped away (Isaiah 43:25). As Christians, we are called to portray this same generous spirit beyond the walls of Christmas.

“Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” –Luke 21:1-4

"One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." -Proverbs 11:24 & 25

Our generosity should not stop with material items. Christ also calls us to lay down our lives in His name. 

“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

 –Matthew 16:25

Nostalgic

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, The Christmas Christian always seems to be nostalgic, not only when it comes to family but also when it comes to Christ. The Christmas holiday is centered around the birth of Jesus, so naturally we become nostalgic about Jesus’ humble beginnings. Yet it shouldn’t take a holiday in order to remember the birth of our savior!

This is the gospel, people!
Christmas is not just about a baby lying in a manger. Christmas is about God putting on flesh, humbling himself to that of a man, and providing us with means of redemption! Not just redemption for a year or until our next sin, but eternal redemption through an eternal sacrifice!

Since when did we start taking the gospel lightly? It’s not a way of life. It’s a way of eternity.

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." –Matthew 1:21

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you..” -1 Peter 1:3 & 4

My biggest prayer this season is that we would remember the meaning of Christmas and that we would carry on this celebration of Christ and the qualities of the Christmas Christian throughout the rest of the year.

Don’t let your Jesus be confined by the walls of the holiday season.

“It will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’” –Isaiah 25:9

 

Jesus is Sweeter.