“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:1
Christmas Day is now behind us, and people have taken down their outdoor house displays, tossed out or stored the no longer needed Christmas tree, and put away all of the tree ornaments, lights and other interior Christmas decorations until next December. But is Christmas really over until then?
Last month I wrote about the secularized Christmas we experience today in America and much of the world. There seems to be no acknowledgement of the significance of Christmas Day beyond the traditions and joyful feelings that most people experience during the month of December. It is sad that Christmas has evolved into a mostly secular celebration. But even though that’s true, Jesus is still proclaimed at Christmas by almost everyone. How, you may ask, is that possible? Let me share three ways Christ is proclaimed in our secular culture, even apart from the Church.
First of all, the calendar most of the world uses today, called the Gregorian calendar, was introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII to replace the Julian calendar, which was introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC to replace the Roman calendar. The designations BC and AD that we use today stand for “Before Christ” and “Anno Domini”, which means “the year of our Lord” in Latin. So, whenever people write dates or refer to them, they are proclaiming Jesus Christ as the Lord!
Second, although many people today do not go to church even on Christmas, they often sing Christmas carols or listen to them on the radio. Those songs carry the message of the birth of Jesus as the Savior of the world. When people sing or hear “Joy to the world, the Lord is come”, or “Christ the Savior is born” in the hymn Silent Night, they are proclaiming that Jesus is the Savior of the world, whether they personally acknowledge it or not!
Third, the secular world recognizes Santa Claus as their primary Christmas character. Santa Claus is based on a real-life Greek Bishop named St. Nicholas, who would give gifts to the poor around Christmas. The name Santa Claus is an American derivative of St. Nicholas’s name in Dutch, which was Sinter Klaas. Consequently, although Santa Claus has become more of a secular figure, he is based on a Christian who lived out his faith and therefore represents a facet of Christ’s teaching on generosity. Acknowledging him (Santa Claus) acknowledges the One St. Nicholas served – Jesus!
Have you heard the song, the 12 Days of Christmas? Do you know what it is about? The 12 Days of Christmas is a sacred and festive Christian season denoting the 12 days between Jesus’ birth on December 25th and January 6th, which is Epiphany (the celebration of the wise men visiting Jesus from the east). This was established in 567 AD at the Council of Tours. Consequently, although Christmas Day is over, the Christian season of Christmas lasts for 12 days until January 6th!
Now that Epiphany is also behind us, Luke 2:11 above reminds us that Christmas Day is not just a one day a year event, or even a season of twelve days. Although Christmas Day is the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the Savior of the entire world, that event cannot be confined to just one day or even 12 days. It is an event that needs to be celebrated EVERY day! For Jesus came to the earth “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). That means you and me (and every other human being)! If not for Jesus, we would still be lost in our sin and eternally separated from God our Creator. What a miserable existence that would be!
But even today, many people reject Jesus as the Son of God and their Savior. Instead, they choose to live that miserable existence apart from God. They do not know the peace and joy that faith in Jesus produces. It still surprises me that so many people don’t accept Jesus as their Savior because He is the only answer to our sinful nature and corrupt world that can overcome the violence, hate, suffering, and evil that is so pervasive today. The Bible clearly points out that this is why God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world – not to condemn it, but to save it from its own sinfulness (“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” – John 3:17)!
So, Christmas isn’t over! For those who would put their trust and faith in Jesus, God promises them His peace and joy in their lives. And not just for one day a year, but for every day of every year! Now, that’s something to celebrate all year long!!