Missing the Christmas Story?

It's the Christmas Season again! Typically, many are anticipating the events of the season by making plans, buying presents, developing menus, and finalizing travel arrangements. For believers, we are trying to do the same things yet, we also try to add Jesus to the mix by recognizing that “He is the reason for the season.” And while I believe that we get the “point” of Christmas, we sometimes miss the most important aspect of the Christmas story. Matthew's and Luke's account (Matthew 1:18-2:12 and Luke 1:26-2:20) give us the details surrounding the birth of Christ and the prophetic implications of His coming, namely, bringing salvation and the kingdom of God to a world in captivity. John's account of the Christmas story, however, provides a picture of what those things actually mean. You might be questioning the fact if I've ever read the gospel according to John because there is no mention of Mary and Joseph before Jesus was born, the virgin birth, Bethlehem, the wise men, shepherds, angels, or a baby in the manger. In fact, John's description is summed up in one, yet extremely powerful verse that states: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us...” (John 1:14).

For many, that verse reminds that Jesus came to us in the flesh and walked this earth clothed in humanity. The phrase of “making His dwelling among us” is often translated “tabernacled” among us. In other words, the God of the universe pitched a tent on earth and lived among us. We sing songs about Emmanuel or “God with us” and we're reminded of this great mystery of God making Himself flesh. Yet, how often do we consider the implications of this truth and its relation to the Christmas story? Its easy to relegate this to a picture of a helpless baby in a manger who grows up to die on a cross for our sins. After all, that is the reason why He had to come--there was no other way. The unfortunate thing in all of this is in seeing Emmanuel through the eyes of history and not through the truth of reality.

Jesus did come in the flesh and dwelt among us. It is an historic fact that cannot be disputed (unless you're a rouge secular scholar who ignores what even the most critical of skeptics have conceded to recognize). In the Christmas story, we as believers, tend to capsulize the event into a “silent night, holy night”“ which was on a “cold winter's night that was so deep.” We look back on the story during this season and create a nostalgic feeling that brings about excitement when we reminiscence about the coming of the child-King. John's statement, however, runs much deeper than to simply remind us that Jesus came as Emmanuel. Rather, John offers us a picture of what the coming of Jesus would be in reality to “all who received Him, to those who believed in His name...” (John 1:12). In becoming “children of God” something incredible happens----we become the Christmas story!

If I were to ask the simple question of “where does God dwell?” many would respond, “In heaven.” If I were to ask “Where does Jesus dwell?” to a believer, the answer would most likely be “In my heart.” The reality is that as believers, God has chosen to make His dwelling in the tent of our flesh. Its not that He “dwelt among us” as the KJV renders, but that He is even now “dwelling among us” in the tabernacle of our flesh. As Christians, we carry the light within us. We are the helpless babes who are completely dependent upon our Father to help us live as we should in this world. We are the one who have been called to tell a world bound in captivity that “salvation has come” and the “kingdom of God” is at hand. Emmanuel has now become “God with us, GOD IN US!” Christmas is not a story that is confined to history but it is a story that is continuous until the day when Jesus comes once again to bring all things to completion. So while we may enjoy the traditions of this Christmas season and indulge in some things that in light of eternity really have no importance, let's not forget the most important truth of the Christmas story: We are the dwelling of “the Word made flesh” called to shine light into the darkness and to proclaim “Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth to men” for salvation has come through Jesus Christ!

A Subtle Deception

Life as of late has been distracting! The demands of being a husband, father, son, employee, church leader, friend and even a follower of Jesus Christ (not that this is a separate entity in itself) makes me feel as if I am being pulled in a hundred different directions. Some may dismiss this as being the result of the holiday season; however, I know that this is not the case. Instead, I believe it is a ploy of the enemy. When we consider the weapons of spiritual warfare in which the enemy can use against the saints of God, in reality, there are only two which he can wield: deception and accusation. The problem for the believer is in seeing “how” he actually uses these potent weapons from his arsenal. I would be lying if I did not say that I feel “accused” during this season of my life. Am I being a good enough husband and father? Am I being the best leader at my church? Am I even being as faithful of a follower of Jesus as I can be? The answer is simple: No! I will never be good enough----because nothing good is in me apart from Jesus Christ. I understand that and I am able to thwart his accusations of my unworthiness based upon the fact that I am worthy in Christ Jesus (Romans 5:1-11). The real struggle, for me, is in not buying into the enemy's deceptive ways.

Most of us think of deception as being an intense cover-up of the true facts. In church circles, we look at people who are in cults such as Jehovah Witnesses, Mormonism, and Islam as being a viable example of being “deceived.” We also tend to look at someone who knows the truth of Christianity and has chosen to live a life diametrically opposed to it as being “deceived.” For me, the enemy will never capture me in one of those two camps. When the truth of Scripture is being violated by false teaching, I am immediately stirred to combat. Although I am prone to sin, I am also well aware of that the life Christ has mapped out before me is better than anything this world could ever offer. Does that mean I am immune to the enemy's deception? I wish I could say I am, but then I would be deceiving you. Satan's deceiving tactics upon mature saints is far less subtle but just as potent as his blinding the minds of those in the world. You see, the very fact that we get “distracted” shows that we are susceptible to a lethal form of deception by the enemy.

God has an intended life for all of us to live. He has a plan and purpose for us. The problem is that we too often define the things that are “important” to us in that plan as opposed to allowing God to define the things that should be important to us----and this is where the enemy deceives us. By making us believe that the various aspects of our lives are ours to manage, organize, and freely pursue, he gets us to live in a place where life becomes so cluttered that God's purposes cannot be fully realized in our lives. He takes our relationships, schedules, obligations, concerns, desires, and conflicts and magnifies them in our lives. We begin to believe that these things are necessary priorities in our lives and because we have so many, we become overwhelmed with the day to day management of them. Even as the Christmas season approaches, many believers are experiencing unnecessary stress because of the demands they believe to be placed upon them during this time of year. In the end, we allow little time for what truly matters and much emphasis to the fleeting traditions of the holiday.

Hebrews 12:1 tells us to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that easily entangles us.” Rather than just telling us to do that, the writer of Hebrews gives us the solution: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus...” (Hebrews 12:2). The enemy's plan is to hinder God's purposes in us and to entangle our lives so that we will be ineffective as the children of God. The writer of Hebrews suggests that this happens because we get focused on the wrong things in life. In essence, we get “distracted.” Only when our eyes are fixed upon Christ can the things of life, which are important, be determined. We may think certain people and plans need our attention, but according to the Lord, they might not. Unless we are constantly fixed upon Christ, we run the risk of being distracted and deceived into believing that what we're doing is productive and essential to the plan of God. For the believer, Satan's deceptive power exists in the lie that all that is a part of our lives matters----concealing the truth that it's not the life we have been given which matters but the One who gives us life that demands our full priority.