Greetings Flag Branch members and friends and thanks for taking the time to join me, Pastor Jordan, for some Fine Points from Sunday’s service and message “The Son Of God”.
People in many parts of the world but particularly in the West which includes Europe and North, South and Central America and many parts of Africa have been indoctrinated to engage in a variety of festive activities by freely spending on gifts and other things for themselves and others as a way of celebrating a number of holidays with Christmas being the major one in the mix.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) expects Americans alone to spend between $843 and $859 billion this 2021 holiday season. Amid the spending, the colorful and dazzling light displays, the many images and symbols, advertisements, parties and other festive activities taking place during this time, few people seem to focus on or believe in Christmas itself.
The word holiday is formed from the words “holy” and “day” and designates a day that is set apart from others. For a day to be set aside from others, something special should be recognized or acknowledged as to have occurred on that day worthy to be remembered, commemorated or observed every year.
Christmas is losing its distinction as a “holy day” set aside to remember, commemorate and observe the birth of the Son of God. The only significant thing about Christmas and December 25th for many people is that they have become a deadline by which all their shopping and festivities should be completed while others await the after Christmas bargains.
In all this, little or no attention is given to the reason Christmas is a holy day and should be celebrated. The fact or belief that God, the Creator of our world, became one of us by being born of a woman and coming into our world is a very big deal with huge implications on the destiny of mankind. Yet, during this season of holidays, fewer people believe or know this about Christmas.
Christmas is in serious danger of becoming just the name of a date that marks the beginning and ending of a season of festivities and activities where homage is given to a variety of reasons and causes. The birth of Christ, the Son of God, is becoming and has become for a growing number of people just a symbol, image and afterthought of a holiday no more real or believed than Santa and his reindeer.
Christmas has lost and is losing the meaning that makes it a holy day. This meaning is largely being ignored, disbelieved, overlooked and downplayed in the general population and among many who identify as Christians.
For the past few years, we at the church I pastor had met on Christmas day in an attempt to bring and put the real reason for the holy day in focus. Otherwise, the day passes as mainly a day to open and exchange unopened gifts spent with family and friends and accompanied in many cases with lots of eating, drinking and entertainment with little or no focus on contemplating the meaning and implications of God coming into our world as one of us. This year, as well as last, will be the one of the few years we will not meet since we have been doing this.
Christianity in general is following the fate of Christmas. Christmas is being seen by a growing number of people as only the name of the primary or main holiday among many in a season marked by several end of year holidays. They attach no religious or spiritual meaning to it for themselves while they acknowledge it has meaning for some just as the other holidays have for others within the season.
Likewise, Christianity is being seen as just one of a variety of religions, spiritual points of view, lifestyle choices, claims of salvation and worldviews among many competing for attention and converts. When we observe the spiritual relevance of Christmas on the majority of those who participate in the $850 billion holiday shopping spending, we also see a reflection of the spiritual position of Christianity as a whole in the general population.
When it comes to Christmas, people have about as much knowledge, belief and faith in the birth of the Son of God for which the holiday exist as they do in Santa Claus. When it comes to Christmas, they fail to see any significant difference or distinction in it or why it should be observed or celebrated differently from what they are already doing.
Christianity is becoming the same way. They are finding little difference or distinction in it from all the other religions, ideas and faith claims people are making in the world today. Why is Christmas and Christianity different and distinct? If we don’t show and tell them by the way we choose to celebrate and live each day of our lives, not only will they not see any difference or distinction, as far as they are concerned, there is none.
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Click the SS Daily Bible Readings for an excellent devotional and preparation for the upcoming Sunday School study. Don’t forget to leave a comment or question down below. As always, remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
Pastor Jordan
