Christmas
Every Christmas my dad would select a four meter high tree to be used at our church for the Sunday School, then used in different location for the Girls and the Boys youth clubs, and finally by the RSL. This tree was decorated with a few symbolic items. Bells, represented the ringing out of the "Good new" that Jesus Christ, the one who had been born, would save people from their sins.
Balls represented the fact that God so loved the world he sent his unique Son into the world to die on a tree. An Angel perilously fastened to the top of the tree represented an Angel of the Lord who spoke to Joseph, the angel Gabriel who spoke to Zacharias and Mary, and the Angel of the Lord who spoke to the shepherds.
Usually attached to the tree would be a short-hand statement such as: "wise men and shepherds still worship Jesus as Saviour, King of Kings and Lord of Lords." According to the Greek historian Herodotus, the magi (wise men), were an ancient priestly caste of the Parthian Empire. They practised what we know today as Astronomy. They navigated their way to Bethlehem by following a special star that had appeared in the Eastern sky in their homeland.
The challenge for us is to establish a Christmas tradition that is more Christ-o-centric not presents-centric. That's a huge challenge for Christian parents. It's hard to believe that Christmas is about not "getting" when are being bombarded by every form of media that brain washes us into believe that it is about "getting." But that is not what the original Christmas was all about. Jesus tells us that there is more fun in giving than in getting. Do we believe him? If "yes," is this what we feel in our heart of hearts and is being borne out by what we do this Christmas?
A Christian farming family sponsored a "white" family to come to Australia from a war torn African country. The first year the family from Africa worked for them, was housed by them, given meat and so on. That year the yield from the grain harvest was very good. So the Aussie sponsors gave them a $2000 bonus at Christmas. The next year the grain crops failed. There were no bonuses. The family from Africa were irate about not getting a bonus the second year! "After all," they said, "It is Christmas you know!"
What's your perspective on Christmas? Margaret Stevens from Ballarat writes:
What does Christmas mean to you?
Over-work and bally-hoo,
Tinsel, presents, carol singing,
Father Christmas, family gathering?
Rush and bustle, increased tension-
Commercialism's wild invention?
Her last verse reads:
Make this Christmas quite unique:
Confess your sin, the Saviour seek.
He will hear you when you call,
Give you peace, that covers all:
Discord, yearnings, pride and hurt.
Be born again, to God revert!
Keith Graham
18 December 2011
| Other topics in this series ........ | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Topic | Download |
| 18 December 2011 | Christmas |  |
| 11 December 2011 | Let's Make Music | |
| 4 December 2011 | Babies Change Everything | |
| 20 November 2011 | Are We Aussies Polytheists? | |
| 13 November 2011 | The Tipping Point | |
| 6 November 2011 | What is Evangelism? | |
| 30 October 2011 | One Man's Vision Changed The World | |
| 23 October 2011 | When God Doesn't Heal | |
| 16 October 2011 | Pray, Pray, Pray | |
| 9 October 2011 | The Church @ Work | |
| 2 October 2011 | We'll do it for Mick | |
| 25 September 2011 | Globalisation and the Church | |
| 18 September 2011 | Sane Sex - Christian Thinking on Sexuality | |
| 11 September 2011 | The Kiwi | |
| 4 September 2011 | End Times Perspective Living | |
| 28 August 2011 | I'm An Alien | |
| 21 August 2011 | Death - a doorway or a terminus | |
| 14 August 2011 | Sexuality and the Christian | |
| 7 August 2011 | The Devil Stopped Me! | |
| 31 July 2011 | Leading Counter Culturally | |
| 24 July 2011 | The Gospel is the Power of God | |
| 17 July 2011 | Death of the Church in England? | |
| 10 July 2011 | The Story | |
| 3 July 2011 | Teenage religion and spirituality | |
| 19 June 2011 | Confession and Commitment | |
| 12 June 2011 | Soul Surfer | |
| 5 June 2011 | Cyber Chat | |
| 29 May 2011 | Employed By God | |
| 22 May 2011 | Prayer | |
| 15 May 2011 | Drivers of Society | |
| 8 May 2011 | Mothers | |
| 1 May 2011 | Unless I See .... I Will Never Believe It | |
| 24 April 2011 | Easter Enigma | |
| 17 April 2011 | Jargon, Wordiness, Clichés | |
| 10 April 2011 | Listening to a 'Bible-basher' | |
| 3 April 2011 | Rewarding Fake Beauty | |
| 27 March 2011 | This Is The Last Hour | |
| 20 March 2011 | When Tragedy Strikes | |
| 13 March 2011 | Test The Spirits | |
| 6 March 2011 | 1 John - A Spiritual Assessment Tool | |
| 27 February 2011 | Can Christianity Be Cool? | |
| 20 February 2011 | The Love Book | |
| 13 February 2011 | Authentic Christianity | |
| 6 February 2011 | Transparency and Submission | |
