What is the “True Meaning of Christmas?”

Sounds like a simple question. And I know how much we like quick and simple answers. And in one way it is simple.

The meaning of Christmas is simple enough that even the youngest toddlers grasp that there is something special about Christmas. And yet, the meaning of Christmas is so profound that the greatest thinkers and theologians of the ages have struggled to put into words all of the majesty and mystery that surrounds this Holy day.

So it is with great trepidation that I approach this question of the “True Meaning of Christmas.”

My words will most likely not be the final word on the subject and put an end to all of the debates and questions about Christmas. But if after reading this you begin to ask more questions and search for the truth then I feel that I will have done a service to our community.

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, had a habit of answering the questions posed to him by first stating what the idea was not. In so doing I think he wanted to debunk the myths and misunderstandings that the original question was dealing with. So in homage to Mr. Wesley, and keeping with my tradition as a Methodist pastor, let me begin by saying what the meaning of Christmas is not.

First, Christmas is not something that just comes once a year. Christmas cannot be condensed into a single day or a season.

Yes, there is a Christmas season. And it is common practice in most churches in our country and other parts of the world to celebrate Dec. 25 as Christmas Day. I will not in this article try to describe how all this came to be. I will let you Google how December became the traditional time to celebrate Christmas, how pagan influences shaped our modern practices of Christmas, and when the 12 days of Christmas really are and what they symbolize.

Let it suffice to say that these are all about the practices of Christmas and its customs and do not necessarily get to the meaning of Christmas. The time that we take to celebrate Christmas is important. It is time that we focus on family, others, God, and giving. These practices are a response to what Christmas is, not its meaning. If we focus on just the things we do at this time of year, and we often do, it leads to a big letdown after Dec. 25.

Howard Thurman, a 20th century theologian, wrote a poem titled, “The Work of Christmas.” He tells us that Christmas is more than the things we do to celebrate.
When the star in the sky is gone,

When the Kings and Princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flocks,

The work of Christmas begins.

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry

To release the prisoner,

To teach the nations,
To bring Christ to all,

To make music in the heart.
Thurman reminds us that Christmas is greater than just a one-day or one-month event. It is a way of living every day.

Christmas is also not merely a word or a phrase.

We like sound bites. We want slogans. Our attention span has decreased to where all we can manage is what will fit on a bumper sticker, a t-shirt, or a tweet. All through the season we hear words like Hope, Peace, Joy, Love. These are great words. These are ideals that we all ought to be striving for. But again, these are a result of what Christmas means, and not, I think, the entirety of Christmas.

We look at the world around us and see the opposite of all of these positive ideas. We see war and famine, injustice and hate, chaos and sickness. When we look at these two opposing forces, it is hard to reconcile them. Just saying Peace or Love does not eliminate the bad things in the world.

Just filling your Facebook page with positive images or decorating your house cannot hide the reality of what is happening in the world around us. Christmas does have a message for the world. And it is a message of Hope and Love and Peace and Joy. But the words alone are not the answer.

Lastly, I think Christmas is not just a feeling or experience.

I have to admit that I love Christmas carols, and lights and decorations and Christmas goodies of all shape and form. All of these fill me with a great feeling. Often times they remind me of Christmases past and of a time with family and friends. But when I try to rekindle that experience and renew that feeling, I often fall short. Feelings are fleeting and the experiences only last for a moment.

When we try to make Christmas about the experience it becomes shallow and fragile. So much so that the slightest interruption or change can upset us and ruin the experience we have tried to create. It is like building a snowman in Mississippi. On the rare occasion we do get snow. Sometimes there is enough to scoop up and form into a snowman.

But by the afternoon that snowman has become a snow blob, and then a puddle. These experiences are short-lived and are not what Christmas means. Saying this, I hope that you have some great experiences on Christmas. Do those things that will make lasting memories and bring you together with family and friends. We need that time together with those we care about. Again these experiences, I believe, come as a response to the true meaning of Christmas.

So, if the true meaning of Christmas is not any of this, what is it? Maybe it is something too grand for us mere mortals to comprehend. Is it just outside our grasp and beyond our understanding? I don’t think so. Christmas is a gift to us from God; A gift of Jesus, a gift of himself.

When God created the universe it was out of love. He created each of us to be his children because he loves us. God wants us to know him and to love him back. And if God wants us to know him he will make it plain enough that any of us, from the simplest to the most well-educated, can understand. This is what John’s Gospel is describing in that most familiar passage from chapter 3. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” God loves us so much, he comes to be with us.

The message is clear. God comes to a frightened and confused people as a baby, born in a manger. He comes to be with us as one of us, so he can show us the way to safety. God does not try to force us or trick us, but simply holds out his hand to help. He does this because he loves us. This is why he started this whole creation thing in the first place.

The meaning of Christmas is the same as the meaning of creation. God wants to be with us and love us. We alone cannot make this happen. We need help. So God comes to help us. It is right there in the name the angel tells Joseph and Mary to give this new born baby, Emmanuel, God with us.

The meaning of Christmas? So simple…  Jesus is Born. And so profound… God is with us.

All of the celebration, all of the experiences and good feelings, all of the hope and joy and peace and love. All of the songs and decorations and gatherings and gifts. All of this is because he is born. Why did this happen? How did this happen? How do we respond to it? That is a question for another day.

My Christmas wish for you is to know the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus is born. God is with you. Merry Christmas.

Peace in Christ,

Mitch

Minister,

GIbson

Memorial UMC