If you believe that Jesus is the Reason for the Season,:”(I personally don’t think Jesus had anything to do with the winter holiday until Christians retconned Him into it.)”: why is the overarching theme of Christmas, “All I want for Christmas is…”
The concepts of giving — which we ought to do sacrificially rather than obligatorily — as well as family togetherness are secondary to Santa Claus and the Want. Honestly, I don’t have a problem with wanting things. I make a list with stuff on it just like everyone else,:”(Though I am thankful that this list is becoming more and more difficult to make, for two reasons: Even though my income is just a bit above the poverty line for a two person family, we’ve still plenty for the occasional indulgence. Secondly, I’m simply more and more content with those things that I do have already and see most things as simply frivolous distractions. I’m very much ignoring my strong desire to get a hold of Final Fantasy VII to play through it again…)”: but I certainly don’t do it in the name of Christmas; I recognize a winter festival that families can get together and have fun for.:”(And I’m very much not brave enough to append Jesus’ name to this festival when He didn’t care to tell us to do so in His Word.)”: I durst not make this a religious thing, lest I add tradition to the sufficiency of Scripture!
But if you believe Jesus is the Reason for the Season, why aren’t Jesus’ overarching themes the same as Christmas’? Where are the proclamations to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”?:”(Matthew 4:17, NASB)”:
If giving is such a strong theme already, perhaps we would do well to remember this passage: “And if anyone wants to sue you, and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. And whoever shall force you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you,and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.”:”(Matthew 5:40–42, NASB)”: How different would America be if America’s professed Christian population:“Religion in the United States(Ignoring denominational differences and pseudo-Christian cults, 75% of America’s population claims some kind of Christian affiliation.)”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_the_United_States#Popular_affiliation practiced without hesitation just those few commands of Christ?
And regardless of how much one wants to focus on the positive aspects of a giving, loving, self-sacrificing Christianity firmly rooted in the words of Christ, it is difficult to ignore other passages, such as, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”:”(Matthew 10:34–38, NASB)”:
If Jesus is the Reason for the Season, then why aren’t families polarized because of Him during this time? When the lost & saved can all gather ’round and enjoy glorious (albeit overtly materialistic:”(This is of course debatable, but I’m willing to hypothesize that if you had a very Christmas-oriented family and you showed up with no gifts to bring saying that the reason you didn’t was because you don’t recognize the holiday but still wanted to spend time with your family, if you received any gifts at all, they would come with at least a small measure of ill-will or grudge-bearing.)”: :(“I mentioned earlier that I devise lists of things I want; well, I also give ’em too. Amazing, I know!)”: ) fellowship somehow “in the name of Jesus,” something is wrong. To put it bluntly, Jesus is hated by the lost for the simple reason that they love their evil deeds and do not want them exposed by He who is able to righteously judge.:”(John 3:19,20)”: Even as a baby in a manger, He was still that Judge, still He who the world hated. Why else would Herod have ordered the execution of all males two-years-old and younger in and around Bethlehem?:”(Matthew 2:16–18)”: He who is a Righteous King is a threat to a world in love with darkness.
If Jesus is the Reason for the Season, perhaps some time could be spent remembering what He actually spoke. Plenty of myths and legends have been retconned into the history of the Incarnation. Let’s shove all of it aside and worship the Lord in spirit and in truth!:”(John 4:23,24)”:
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