Subject: The Purpose Of Christmas
Title of Column: Redemption Outreach from the Diaspora
Columnist: Pastor Sam Adelusimo, Resident Pastor, RCCG Chapel of Praise, Northwest Arkansas, United States of America.
Beloved, it is another Christmas. I wish you a very Merry Christmas! Thank you for being loyal readers these past 16 weeks since this column was birthed. I hope that the Word has blessed you in diverse ways, and my prayer is that the teachings continue to turn things around for you.
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus (the epitome of light and life) today and this week, light shall find you. Light shall follow you all the way from now to the New Year, and beyond. The light from heaven shall illuminate and brighten your path unto a godly heritage in Jesus’ precious name.
God’s word is designed to be accessible to everyone, which is the reason for its simplicity. Therefore, the teaching of the word gives light so much that even the simple will have an understanding of it. Anytime the word of God goes forth, it does so with light. The opposite of the word is ignorance, which is darkness.
Your act shows what you have of the two- light or darkness.
If you understand the word of God that the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, and they that dwell therein (Psalm 24:1), you will understand that it is a revelation- that He has given you the right and permission to live anywhere you wish to be. Put differently, the light in that scripture is that anywhere on earth is made for you: take it and dwell in it! The word shall continue to illuminate your paths all the days of your life. Amen!
The Purpose of Christmas
In the mood of the season, and to put the season in its proper context, we shall dwell on the meaning and purpose of Christmas. The value you place on a thing determines its price tag and the amount you are willing to pay for it. What does the birth of Jesus mean to you? What value do you place on His coming? How much are you willing to pay to maximize Jesus’ coming to the world? Do you even know why Christmas is celebrated every December 25th? Let us examine the purpose of Christmas.
In the secular world, Christmas is just another Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus. In the Encyclopedia Britannica, the English term “Christmas” is the “mass on Christ’s birth date”. The origin of the word “Christmas” is recent. The earlier term “Yule” may have derived from the Germanic or Anglo-Saxon terms that referred to the feast of the winter solstice.
However, Christmas is more than this ordinary understanding of it. Christmas means the recognition and celebration of the significance of human salvation or redemption. Christmas is not another birthday of a human being, during which food and drinks are plenteous for entertainment. It is not just that time for buying or exchanging gifts or sharing food and gifts.It is a special time to celebrate our Savior.
In the book of Luke, Chapter 2, the birth of Jesus is described as an extraordinary one, first with an immaculate conception, humanly inexplicable. Then the circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus were shrouded in mysteries that could only be divinely explained. Then the stars led the wise men to His birthplace, where they went to venerate Him and fulfill old prophecies. One mystery followed the other, with symbolisms of the arrival of an unusual child. On that day, a king was born and He would be the Savior of the world.
The significance of Christmas lies in the understanding that God sent His son into the world as part of His plan to bring salvation to people everywhere. Christians also think about the ‘incarnation’ – meaning ‘in the flesh’ – when God became man in the form of the baby Jesus. However, what is most significant is that Jesus came to save humanity. He wanted to lead us away from eternal damnation and to everlasting life. That is the reason for His birth, many strange acts within 33 short years, death and resurrection.
Jesus used Himself as a sacrifice to avert the curse of the law. This curse affects anyone who has not accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. It was the ultimate sacrifice in the history of humankind.
Christmas is about how He came to give us love, hope, and joy. For God is love and this love made Him to give His only begotten son, Jesus, to deliver whosoever believes in Him. This greatest gift is to rekindle the hope of restoring everlasting life, the way it was before the fall of man. Hope inspires joy. Therefore, Christmas symbolizes the three cardinal objectives of our Savior for our lives- love, hope, and joy. These three fruits are expected to be shared among men.
Christmas is thus a season to share the love, hope, and joy that our Lord Jesus epitomizes and gave to us.
Christmas is a time of gift-giving and receiving. What are the gifts to be shared? In addition to love, hope, and joy, are kindness, peace, and goodness. In appreciation of what Christ has done for us, we give in return to fellow humans. Another gift to be shared during this period is spreading the word of redemption and working toward winning souls for Christ. You must not allow physical giving to overshadow the gift of salvation, which is what the birth of Jesus symbolizes. Salvation is the best gift. Thus, surrender yourself to Him, accepting Him as your Lord and Savior, and commit to live this new life for the rest of your life. It does not end there; you should go further by bringing others over to Him too.
Furthermore, Christmas represents the celebration of the victory of our deliverance from the bondage of the devil. Satan had man locked down in sin, guilt, and condemnation.
However, Jesus came and unwrapped man of this bondage. Having been delivered from this darkness and translating us to the Kingdom of God, the season of Christmas thus becomes an opportunity for us to celebrate this deliverance from devilish bondage.
Against the foregoing backgrounds, let us conclude, therefore, that Christmas is not only a time to celebrate Jesus, but is also a time for sober reflection. It is a time to reflect on God’s infinite goodness and kindness to us, the sacrifices of Jesus, and our salvation and translation to eternal life. It is a time to check our lifestyles, take stock, and see if we have been in alignment with things we dropped from our lives.
Friend, the ultimate show of gratitude for Jesus’ birth and sacrifices during this Yuletide is to do soul searching and rededicate your life to Christ if you have reneged, or give your life to Him if you are not born again yet. It is another opportunity to surrender everything to Him and stay with Him for the rest of your life. God bless you in Jesus’ name.
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•Pastor Sam Adelusimo is the Resident Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Chapel of Praise Parish, Northwest Arkansas, United States of America.
