Why we need not defend Christmas

Jesus has always been a controversial figure with a controversial message. In the Gospels, Luke recorded the words of Simeon who said, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed." In Jesus, God convicts the world of their need for a divine Saviour and the fruitlessness of religious efforts to appease God. In Jesus, we are convicted of our own imperfections in light of his perfection. Is it any wonder then that Jesus is the most controversial figure, with the most controversial message in human history? It is neither his birth that offends nor his birthday that needs our primary attention, it is his message!

Of course many believers and unbelievers alike have chosen to take their stands about the "real meaning" of December 25th. Unbelievers go to ridiculous efforts to sanitize Christmas of Christian elements. They replace Christ with Santa as the icon of the season. Employers instruct their workers to wish their customers a "Happy Holiday" rather than a "Merry Christmas", for fear of offending. On the other hand believers proudly erect their manger displays and holler "Don't X Christ out of Christmas" (even though Xmas is very Christian since the X represents the first letter of Christ’s Greek name). Perhaps both groups forget that the central issue is not the birth date, but the person and the message of Christ.

Christmas is not a biblically-mandated celebration for Christians. So I invest little energy engaging in the age-old debate about its public meaning. Whether or not we celebrate Christmas publically is inconsequential to me. In fact I'd rather not see unbelievers celebrating the birthday of a Saviour whose message they have not embraced! Rather, it is Jesus' person and message that I choose to defend. Christmas or not, my mandate remains: to lovingly proclaim that all people are morally bankrupt, spiritually lost and desperately in need of a Saviour to redeem them.

Don't get me wrong, I do believe that our Saviour was born in a manger 2 millennia ago, but it was the message he preached 30 years later that really matters. One can debate the birth incessantly, but what really matters is whether or not you have responded to the Birthed One's message and accepted him as your Saviour.