Christ’s Birth and Death

I heard a message prior to a Christmas a year ago, that I’d like to share. You see, over the past couple of years, I made the decision to step away from the secular, commercial holiday that we all dread and look forward to at the same time.

The world has taught us that we must give presents, and lots of them, to many people both close family and friends. This causes us stress (or at least my wife since she has taken the responsibility for this task).  Not only does she select and buy the presents (usually with me occasionally asking how much something costs) but she has to wrap and organize them for distribution. The stress that she feels, especially in the last couple of weeks before Christmas, is real and she is more than willing to share it with me (last minute errands and listening to her complaints). Then, whether we are traveling or staying home with visitors (it’s usually one or the other), there is the gift exchange several-hour event where all the gifts are distributed and we get the joy of watching each other open these stressed bought gifts. Okay, to be fair, I’ve most definitely reached the stage of life where I’d change the family tradition to only give gifts to the young kids but I’d be fighting an insurmountable battle.

But I digress.

The message I heard, which was on Christian radio, was from a performer who was sharing their families Christmas celebration tradition. This performer shared that they, several days before Christmas, sat down as a family and read the Savior’s birth story.

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” - Luke 2:1-7 ESV

But the performer did not stop there or transition into the next study topic. They explained that up until Christmas Day, the focus was on the birth of our savior and redeemer. But after the birth, there was a gradual transition from Joy and Hope to a certain sadness as we looked forward to Jesus’ torture and death on the cross (Easter). 

“But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” - Luke 23:18-23, 46-47

As we mourn Jesus’ torture and death on Good Friday, we transition into Joy and Hope again as we celebrate the resurrection on Easter and ascension into heaven and wait for his second coming.

“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen; Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.” - Luke 24:1-7, 50-53

Looking forward to Jesus Christ, as detailed in the gospels and as we heard in our advent services, is where we have been for most of our days of the human experience. This should be the true meaning of our Christmas celebration.