CELEBRATION OF
CHRISTMAS WITH THE CELEBRANT (CHRIST)!
There is no doubt that for every
celebration there is a reason for such celebration. Also, for every celebration
there is a celebrant behind such celebration. It will make no sense if I attend
or partake in a celebration without having a clear-cut knowledge for such
celebration. It will make no sense if I attend a celebration party without
knowing the reason why such party was organized. It will make no meaning if I
partake in a celebration without knowing who the celebrant is. Owing to the
above realities, Christmas will make no sense if I celebrate it without having a
clear-cut encounter with the celebrant (Jesus Christ). Christmas will also make no meaning if I
celebrate it without a clear-cut understanding of the ‘reason’ why Christmas
should be celebrated. We live in generation where many celebrate
Christmas flamboyantly without having been purged from their sins by the
celebrant (Jesus Christ). To celebrate Christmas with Christ, I must first be
purged from sin by Him (Christ). To celebrate Christmas meaningfully, we must
understand it from God’s perspective and way. Anything celebrated different
from how God wants us to celebrate will be less meaningfully celebrated
if not meaninglessly celebrated.
As
a child many years ago, I was meant
to personally believe that Charismas is a time to get new clothing; eat and
drink; visit places like zoo’s, wild life parks, museums, PRTV, NTA among
several other recreational activities. I was meant to believe that the season
of Christmas is a time to say ‘happy Christmas’ to somebody and
expect money in return, if need be, go from houses to houses ‘aiming
at money’ in the name of happy Christmas. Though, it may not be bad as
at then, but is that the true celebration of Christmas! I guess it should be a
celebration without an encounter. It was
a period of celebration without having a clear-cut understanding of Christmas. Though
now I realized that Christmas is a moment of celebration, it must also be
celebrated with meaning, and this meaning can only be well understood when we
give positive answers to some certain germane questions as to whom this new
born King is; a reason for commemorating Christmas.
In our today’s world, Christmas is coined to
be something different. It is a time when evil and frivolous activities are on
the increase. It is a time when many people visit their local churches for the
first time in a year. It is a time when many people have to travel to their
villages for the first time in a year. It is a time when people wash their
carpets for the first time in a year. It is a time when people eat and drink to
satisfy their bellies. It is a time when the Church is filled to capacity. It
is a time when people visit places like zoo’s, people’s houses, wild life
parks, amusement parks or even museums. It is a time when people will say ‘happy
Christmas’ to expect money in return. It is a time when people compete
on who will first finish plenty bottles of alcoholic drinks in a bear parlour.
It is a time when people make gorgeous hairstyles. It is a time when people opt
for new shoes, dresses and do all sort of make-ups. If all these are they thoughts of
many about Christmas, is it truly The Christmas? If no, what then is Christmas?
Christmas
is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and a widely observed
holiday celebrated generally on the 25th of December, yearly. It’s a red-letter-day that remains indelible
in our lives as Christians. The Gregorian calendar is not complete if 25th December
is not given due recognition, hence, the birth of Christ must be highly
recognized in our lives. Of a truth, ‘Christmas
celebration will never make meaning if we have not received and recognized
Jesus Christ into our lives’. About 60% and above of people who celebrate
Christmas celebrate it without understanding its meaning. They celebrate it
blindly because people around them are equally celebrating. They eat because
people are eating. They party because their friends party. They practice lust
instead of love and later get lost, and at the end of the day, they call it the
spirit
of Christmas. To celebrate Christmas with Christ, we must understand
what Christmas really mean. To understand what Christmas really mean, we will answer
some very momentous questions below.
How
was Jesus Christ Conceived and Born? Several people today were given
birth in the best hospitals in town while for others arrangements were made for
them to travel abroad to be born. But for Jesus Christ, that was not the case.
Even after he was conceived through the Holy Spirit to a virgin called Mary, he
was born in the manger and was very much targeted to be killed by a human king.
The bible introduced us in Matthew 1:18 that “This is how the birth of
Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph
but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy
Spirit”. How can the Doctors
of today explain how a child will be conceived through the Holy Spirit? What a
mystery! a mystery that even the specialized Doctors cannot have factual
answers to. ‘And she gave birth to him
in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn’ (Luke 2:7 KJV). The
NIV version says, ‘….because there was no guest room available for them’. Jesus
birth took place in a stable, surrounded by farm animals. That is, in a manger
(a feeding trough). The reason why he was born in the manger was because there was no room for them in the inn. The
inability of the inn-keeper at that time to provide a good place for Mary and
Joseph in the inn led to Jesus’ birth to take place in the manger. In this
season of Christmas, I perceive God asking you this personal and pertinent questions
like: do you have place for Jesus Christ in your heart?, have you created room for Jesus in your
heart?, have you opened your heart for Jesus Christ even while He stands at the
door knocking for you to open? Christmas will never make meaning if you
have not opened up your heart to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.
The birth of Jesus Christ has not only brought us good news to spread around but
it is in itself good news. That is to say that the birth of Christ is good
news. In order for us to enjoy this season of Christmas, we must accept the
good news of Christ birth and create room for him in our lives. It is true that Jesus was born in the manger
because there was no room for them in the inn, but for you reading through this
write-up now have you created room for Jesus to completely abide in your
heart?, a question that must not be left unanswered this season of Christmas.
How
did Jesus Christ Grew?
Jesus grew to understand the business of His Master. At the age of twelve, he
knew what it meant to be busy doing God’s business. ‘And he said unto them, How is it
that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my father’s business?’
(Luke 2:49).Christmas is not a time to gossip, it’s a time to do God’s
work. It is not a time to waste our strengths in party/disco-halls; it’s a time
to tell people about the essence of Christmas. It’s a time to tell people about
the birth of Christ and how he grew in wisdom and stature. ‘And Jesus increase in wisdom and stature,
and in favour with God and man’ (Luke 2:52). If truly we knew how Jesus grew,
we would grow to become like Him, and this Christmas will be meaningfully
celebrated. Who do you boast to
become like; Jesus or other people outside Jesus?, a question that must not be
left unanswered this season of Christmas.
Why was Jesus
Christ Born? Jesus was born for a purpose. As
Jesus was born for a purpose, so are we. Every one of us was born for a purpose
and with a purpose. “Coming up to them at that very
moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were
looking forward to the REDEMPTION of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38). Some bible version
like NLT says ‘…..been waiting expectantly for God to RESCUE Jerusalem’. Jesus
Christ was born to save us from sin. He is our savior. “For unto you is born this day in
the city of David a SAVIOUR, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
Adding to this, the bible says, “And she shall
bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his
people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). If not until you know why
Jesus Christ was born you will not be able to celebrate this Christmas merrily.
In short, you will celebrate it meaninglessly. We can see clearly from the
above scriptures that Jesus came to save us from our sins. But permit me to ask
you this; have you been genuinely saved from sin? If your answer is no, it will
interest you to know that it is of no meaning spending much money,
energy and time in the name of celebrating a flamboyant Christmas without been
purged from your sins by the celebrant (Jesus Christ). It is abnormal
to celebrate Christmas flamboyantly whereas you have not been saved from sin. If
not until the why of Jesus’ birth becomes a reality in your life, you will
continuously be spending a meaningless Christmas. For as there is a ‘why’ to
the birth of Jesus so is there a ‘why’ to your birth. It is not enough to know who you are, find out why you are. Have you
known why you are born?, a question that must not be left unanswered this
season of Christmas.
How
much love will you show others this year’s Christmas? It was love that made it possible
for our Almighty God to send His only begotten son (Jesus) to save us from our
sins. We must love as Christ loves. Love entails giving and sharing. So
therefore, we must share that which we have with others this Christmas. We must
learn to love other people this Christmas from a sincere heart. Let our expenses
for the preparations of Christmas include that of those who cannot afford
anything for themselves. When we practice true love this Christmas, we would
make many people happy. We should meet a need this Christmas.
Therefore, we should find a need and meet it. Youths of today have
devised ways to practice lust instead of love, a lust that leads to their lost.
If we must enjoy this Christmas, we must love with good motive and not with
wrong motive. Love is of the essence. This Christmas will be lovely if we love genuinely.
How have you decided to show love this
year’s Christmas? a question that
must not be left unanswered this season of Christmas..
Where
are you leading yourself this Christmas Day? Everybody is entitled to lead
himself where he wishes, but if where he wishes to lead himself is not approved
by God; he will lead himself somewhere unimportant. When Jesus was born, there
was a quest to visit and worship him by the wise men from the east. They
followed Jesus’ star even when they do not know where it will lead them until
it stops at where he was born. “..the star, which they saw in the east,
went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When
they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy”. (Matthew 2:9b-10).
Christmas will make sense this season if only you have seen the celebrant’s
star by a reason of a clear-cut encounter with him. Nobody sees Jesus star and
remain the same. You cannot claim to see Jesus while you are still treading on
the path of iniquity and evil. You cannot claim to have seen Jesus while you jump
from one party hall to another. You cannot claim to have seen Jesus while you
keep going from one bear parlor joints to another. Where will you lead yourself
this Christmas? To be led correctly, you have to yield to Jesus. He does not
only know the way but he is the way. You can be rest assured that he will lead
you correctly this season and beyond if only you submit to his leadership. Where have you opted to go this Christmas? a
question that must not be left unanswered this season of Christmas.
Do
you have anything to offer to Jesus Christ this Christmas? The bible says,
“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his
mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their
treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and
myrrh.(Matthew 2:11). What do you have to offer to Jesus Christ this
Christmas celebration? That is why I said that, ‘If
you don’t have GOLD to offer to Jesus Christ, offer GOOD WORSHIP, if you don’t
have FRANKINCENSE, offer FERVENT FELLOWSHIP AND LOVE to one another, if you
don’t have MYRRH to offer, then you can offer your MELLIFLUOUS (SWEET-SOUNDING)
BODY for Gods work’. Also note that if you don’t have anything at all
to offer you can give yourself to Jesus (surrender your life). Offer yourself
to the service of God can be the best way to celebrate your Christmas this
year. The only way to bring meaning to this year’s Christmas is to offer
ourselves to God Almighty. What have you
prepared to offer to this new born King this year? a question that must not be
left unanswered this season of Christmas.
After
looking painstakingly at the above germane questions, we must have by this time
derived an essence for Christmas and why it must be celebrated with the
celebrant (Jesus Christ). What have you already thought of Christmas? Have you
thought of another routine Christmas? Have you thought of doing ungodly things
this year’s Christmas again? If yes, please pause, check and amend your ways
very properly before celebrating this year’s Christmas. This write-up was
written to help us celebrate a meaningful Christmas. Therefore, we
must realize that Christmas is a moment of true love and sharing. It is a
moment of encounter that should be contagious. It is a moment to find the star
of Jesus that should lead us to where God only designed for us to go. It is a
moment of renewal of the heart. It is a moment to open up our hearts to receive
Jesus into our lives. It is a moment of taking the good news of the new born King
to the world. It is a moment of joy and happiness. It is a moment of
celebration. It is a moment to grow to find favour with man and God. Christmas
is a moment of reaching the unreached; like the poor, widows etc. Christmas is
a moment to care for those who are sick, a visit to the hospital can make a lot
of difference. I can boldly say that ‘Christmas celebration without Christ is a waste of time’, ‘Christmas celebration without Christ is crises”,
and ‘Christmas celebration without
Christ is catastrophe’ Christmas has come again, and we should celebrate it
well. Don’t celebrate this year’s Christmas without Christ. This write up has
come to stir our hearts on how to find meaning to this year’s Christmas before
celebrating. You must first know the new born king (Jesus) before you can
celebrate this Christmas very meaningfully. What you know is not enough, get
more meaning to what you have already known. Christmas without Christ is Christmas without a cause.
“God is here. This truth should fill our lives, and every
Christmas should be for us a new and special meeting with God, when we allow
his light and grace to enter deep into our soul”. (Josemaría
Escrivá )
Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year!!!
