What comes to mind when we think of Christmas?

For some it is the thought of Santa Claus or Saint Nick and receiving or giving of gifts, maybe it is the lights or the music; for others, it might be the family gatherings or carolers that you see in the mall. The one thing that was impressed upon me at a young age is that it was a time we celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ. A lot happens around Christmas time there are parties and dinners and concerts that make this time special.

The origins of many of the holidays we celebrate have their roots in rituals and festivals for worshipping pagan gods. Certain prominent religious leaders of the past sought to minimize the impact of the festivals and give them a Christian influence; so we have Christmas. A day we celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus, and yet this was not the real day of His birth. For many years, this was one of the central days of celebration for Christians. But just as we see with so many holidays they are reverting to pagan roots. People are worshipping everything but God. Romans 1.

Physical Darkness

December is a physically dark month. Our days are at their shortest. The Christmas lights have often reminded me of the light we are to be in this world of darkness. In the distant past, the lights were generally neutral, and the only decorations were maybe a lit tree or wreath or a nativity scene. Now, the lights often sadden me because there is very little recognition of Christ and His coming to earth as Savior for mankind. Each year it gets worse. Where Christ and Christians have had an influence on the world around them in the past, that influence is rapidly diminishing. It shows that, as Christians, we are less of a light in this dark world. This should gravely concern us.

On the other hand, the Bible does talk about the apathy and apostasy that will arise before the Lord Jesus Christ comes for the second time. What we see around us is clearly a sign of the times in which we live. Let me encourage us to take the time to consider our hearts and evaluate where we stand before God. Whether you claim to believe in God or not, one day soon we will all stand before God and be held accountable for how we live our lives. Have our lives brought glory and honor to God or not? As Christians, have we been a light in the darkness?

If you are one who has never really stopped to think about Christmas as a time to celebrate the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ into this world to provide redemption for man, let me encourage you to think about these passages from the Bible.

Jesus said: “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” – John 8:12

Spiritual Darkness

When we look around, we realize that the world can be more than just physically dark. It is a spiritually dark place, and that is because mankind at the core is sinful and depraved. Man, by nature, rejects God and is opposed to God in every way. That evidences itself in all kinds of evil towards each other. I hear people talking about peace and during this season we sing “Peace on earth. Good will toward men.” The only way we can truly experience peace and good will on this earth is through Jesus Christ.

The Bible says: “There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.” Romans 3:10-12

Romans 3:23 says: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

That may look bleak, and it is certainly important to recognize the condition of our hearts, but there is hope for a bright future and a totally different perspective on life on earth.

To understand the hope of the future we need first to grasp how our condition impacts us. As sinners, the Bible says we are doomed to spend eternity separated from God, unless…

Think about this…

Do I lie; cheat; manipulate; think sexual thoughts about anyone other than my spouse; wish I could do something bad to someone who I don’t care for, like the person who just cut me off while driving; or do I think hateful thoughts of someone who has done me wrong? Then I must conclude that I am a sinner.

The Bible says that because I am a sinner I cannot do anything that will bring God honor and glory. In fact, it says I actively reject and oppose God.

On the other hand, it says that I can have a life filled with the blessing of having a relationship with Him by accepting that I am sinful and in need of redemption. That was the reason Jesus Christ came in the first place – to take upon Himself the punishment we deserve so that we can be reconciled with God.

Christmas as we celebrate it is about Christ coming to earth to accomplish that purpose of redemption for all those He has chosen, for all those who accept His gift of grace. Romans 6:23

Are you one who needs to accept that gift or have you already accepted that gift?