The Time Before Christmas

 "Lo!  The virgin shall be pregnant And shall be bringing forth a Son, and they shall be calling His name 'Emmanuel,'" which is, being construed, "God with us." 

Matthew 1: 23, Concordant New Testament 

If you were not already aware, the Christmas season is in full swing once again.  There are sales upon sales and classic movies to be enjoyed on tv.  Growing up, I found it difficult to shake the feeling that Christmas was the time for gifts.  Not only that, a time for receiving more than giving.  Who didn't wake up on Christmas morning eagerly awaiting what gifts would be waiting got them under the tree?  I know I did.  These days I have come to refer to this as "The time before Christmas," a take upon the old Clemment Clarke Moore classic story.  In the night before Christmas, we went to sleep with thoughts of what the new day would bring.  In the night before Christmas, Santa Claus would soon arrive with all of the presents for those who had been good.  Sounds peaceful, right?  Well, in the time before Christmas things are different.  In the time before Christmas, we rush from store to store looking for the best gift deals.  In the time before Christmas, we stock up the fridge and liquor cabinet in preparation for the holidays.  Then something else happens.  In the time before Christmas, something within us begins to ponder the reason for the season.  Is it the gift giving?  Is it charity?  Is it gathering with friends and family?  All of these we often associate with the Christmas season, but are not the reason we celebrate the season.  The true reason for the season occurred thousands of years ago in the land of Israel.  For here, our heavenly Father brought forth His Son who would save His people from themselves (Their sins).  The story of the birth of Jesus is foretold in the book of Isaiah {Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:1}.  In the time before Christmas, we associate the birth of the Christ child with popular songs of the season.  Away in a manger, Go tell it on the mountain and silent night just to name a few.  I have a dear friend who is critical of more than a few of our traditional Christmas season songs because they do little to celebrate the true meaning of the season.  I would tend to agree with him.  But what is the true meaning of the Christmas season?  Well, like I said, the true meaning of why we celebrate Christmas has little to do with the time before Christmas.  

And the Word became flesh and tabernacles among us, and we gaze at His glory, a glory as of an only- begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.  

John 1: 14, Concordant New Testament 

The disciple of the Lord, Matthew, tells us the true reason we celebrate this season.  Matthew proclaims that it has been foretold that the name of the Christ child shall be 'Emmanuel,' which means "God with us" {Matthew 1:23}.  Yes, not only did our heavenly Father dispatch His Son amongst men for the forgiveness of sin, but that He would dwell among us.  In His ministry, Jesus proclaimed to Phillip that  "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" {John 14:9}.  Indeed, with the birth of Christ Jesus, God was among us as the prophet Isaiah predicted.  Of course, many of the celebrations in the time before Christmas miss the point of the real reason for the season.  Simply speaking, we screwed up and we needed love and the grace of the Father to cleanse us from believing the lie of the deceiver {Genesis 3:4-6}.  The perfect solution came in the birth of Christ Jesus in Bethlehem.  I'm guessing that this is the reason why so many view the Christmas season as one of redemption.  For we were indeed redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  We also celebrate the truth of living IN HIM {Galatians 2:20}.  Jesus is not a Savior who perished on the cross only to be relegated to eternity in heaven at the Fathers side {Mark 16:19}.  No, Jesus did away with the sin we carried that we would remain in Him {John 17:21, Romans 6:6}.  I do not see the Christmas season as the one and only season in which we should celebrate the truth of the birth of Jesus.  Knowing all which He has accomplished in us, I believe that we should be always praising Him.  Of course, that doesn't sell anything in the time before Christmas.  

~Scott~