What would it mean to “keep Christ in Christmas?”
At this time of year, I frequently hear of the need to “keep Christ in Christmas,” that we are loosing the “reason for the season,” and that recovering a proper emphasis at Christmas must be a priority. Indeed, the trends seem to reflect a declining Christian influence. Christmas break has become Winter Break, “Merry Christmas” is replaced by “Happy Holidays,” and public nativities with Jesus in a manger are dwindling.
So what would a successful campaign to “keep Christ in Christmas” look like?
My impression is that, in most cases, what Christians are seeking is simply a reversal in this trend.
For many years, particularly the years I served on a church staff, I was a part of this chorus. I heard it from others, and it seemed so right and obvious that I joined in. As I think back, I don’t recall having thought about it much more deeply than that.
But as the years passed, and my understanding of the Story grew, my conviction wavered. Ultimately, I began to wonder, “How does God feel about this waning connection between Christ and Christmas?”
This led to the realization that there is no command in Scripture to celebrate Christmas. Yes, there are the stories in Matthew and Luke about Jesus’ conception and birth, but those simply tell us that part of the Story. The celebration of Christ’s birth we’re urged to recover was never commissioned by God in Scripture.
So, where did it come from?
Well, dictionary.com says the word “Christmas” comes from the Old English term meaning “Mass of Christ.” Querying Google I find several theories about its true origin. There’s more information there than I care to sort through. Probably, the celebration we think of as a Christian celebration of the birth of Christ, is, in fact, a conflation of pagan and Christian beliefs. That there is so little certainty on the matter is further evidence that the origins are extra-biblical. No such confusion exists about the celebration of Passover, which was required of Israel by God under the Old Covenant.
With the realization that the Christmas celebration was never God’s idea, my angst subsided, and I came to view it as a cultural holiday — a festive season filled with food, traditions, Christmas music and time together with our family. In short, I simply focused on enjoying Christmas.
So, Christmas wasn’t God’s idea. Does that mean He’s indifferent to all the opposition to it?
No.
The opposition to Christmas as a Christian tradition grows out of the hostility of an increasingly secular (which literally means without God, i.e., godless) culture and it’s commensurate intolerance of any Christian expression within the culture. And God has very strong opinions about the secularization (increasing godlessness) of the world.
But I’m afraid that’s not His only concern. I suspect our determination to “keep Christ in Christmas” may reflect attitudes that concern Him as well. Jesus being the Christ is about so much more than having a manger on the courthouse lawn or saying “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays.” Too often, even our “Christian” concept of Christ seems deficient.
To see what I mean, let’s look at Psalm 2.
Why are the nations in an uproar
And the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!” – Psalm 2:1-3
So, why would I go to this passage to talk about Christ and Christmas?
Well, the answer is found in the fourth line above (v. 2), where the Psalmist speaks of “His Anointed“. The Hebrew word is māšiyaḥ, from which we get our English word, Messiah. It referred to one anointed as King. As the Story progresses into the New Testament and the language switches from Hebrew to Greek, the word becomes Christos, from which we get our word, Christ.
So, Psalm 2 is about God’s Anointed – The Christ – the One from Whom Christmas derives its name.
Now, at the time this Psalm was written, it had immediate reference to David or whichever of his descendants was ruling over Israel from Jerusalem after Him. As King, they were anointed by God, and represented His authority. This succession of David’s descendants was a fulfillment of God’s promise to him (2 Samuel 7:8-17), and finds it ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, the Son of David (Matthew 1:1; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30-31; Mark 10:47-48; Luke 1:27, 32, 69; 2:4, 11; Luke 18:38-39; Romans 1:3; 2 Timothy 2:8; Revelation 3:7; 5:5; 22:16).
All of the New Testament quotations of Psalm 2 (Acts 4:25-26; 13:33; Hebrews 1:5; 5:5; Revelation 2:26-27; 6:16-17; 12:5; 19:15) quote the Psalm with reference to Jesus as The Christ. So as we look back at it, we understand that it is ultimately about Him.
With that understanding, let’s look at the Psalm.
In the first stanza, the nations of the world are all stirred up making futile plans. They are actively conspiring together against Yahweh and His Anointed – Christ – rebelling against His control and authority.
As we have already observed, the opposition to Christmas as a Christian holiday grows precisely out of such hostility. So, while God does not care about the loss of a holiday, He does take note of this hostility.
So, how does He feel about it? Is He concerned that we are loosing ground? Worried about losing the reason for the season? Anxious that the battle is being lost?
Let’s see.
He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” – Psalm 2:4-6
Not exactly a picture of God wringing His hands, is it?
He laughs. He scoffs. All the conspiracies and all the rebellion are silly exercises in futility.
But this is no light-hearted chuckle. It is derision. Followed by anger. Terrifying anger. The kind that makes mighty men cry out and hide under rocks (Revelation 6:15-17).
“Rebel all you want, I have installed my King! He will rule.”
In the third stanza, Christ speaks, claiming His right to rule.
“I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You. ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’” – Psalm 2:7-9
The word begotten here speaks, not of birth, but of the anointing that makes Him King and gives Him the authority to rule.
Note the extent of that rule. God has given Him, not just Israel, but the nations. All of them. To the very ends of the earth.
And what does He do with them?
Break them with a rod of iron. Shatter them like pottery. When He’s done, the nations of the earth will all be crushed. There will be only one Kingdom. His.
So …
Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the LORD with reverence
And rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! – Psalm 2:10-12
The rebels — every one of us — face a choice.
If we are discerning, we will worship God and acknowledge Jesus as the Christ. Worship with reverence. Rejoice with trembling. Not cower in fear, but rejoice with trembling. Celebrate, but do so with the kind of reverence that recognizes the magnitude of the One before whom you stand. The kind of reverence invoked in the prayer, hallowed be Your name.
I am compelled to pause and point out that this Psalm ties in with our recent discussion of prayer. It informs the first two requests that we looked at a couple weeks back in Luke 11.
- Hallowed be your name is a petition seeking the very response being described here. That those in rebellion would worship God with reverence and do homage to Jesus as the Christ.
- Your kingdom come seeks the time when Jesus will take full possession of the nations, of His Kingdom, as described in verses 8-9.
Returning to Psalm 2, we are given the alternative (vv 11-12). Refuse to acknowledge the Son and you become the object of God’s wrath and you perish (c.f., Romans 1:18-21). No debate, no discussion. You lose.
On the other hand, taking refuge in Him (through worship and acknowledging Jesus as the Christ) brings far more than an escape from His hostility – it brings the positive benefit of blessing. The advise is not, “do homage, or else.” The counsel is to worship Yahweh, acknowledge His Anointed, and enter into His blessing. That is God’s desire.
But you are free to choose. Of course, the only other option brings the wrath and terror of God.
Which brings us to the birth of Christ that we allegedly celebrate at this season. When the angels appear to the shepherds, they announce the birth of a Savior, identifying Him as Christ the Lord – the Anointed One of Psalm 2 …
… today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” – Luke 2:11-14
This birth is the birth of the Anointed of Psalm 2. Of the Christ.
The peace promised is not peace on earth in the sense of a world free from conflict. On earth stands in contrast to in the highest in the previous line. This coming of the Christ in the birth of Jesus brings glory to God in the highest – in the heavens. On earth, it brings peace, but only among those men with whom He is pleased.
Who are those men? Those of Psalm 2, who find blessing by worshipping God and recognizing Jesus as His Anointed – as Christ. This is the Jesus we worship. This is what it means for Him to be The Christ.
As for the rest, for those persist in their rebellion – who reject God and Christ – who seek to suppress any evidence of Him in our culture, whether at Christmas, or any other time of the year, God is not worried. While He desires all men to come to the knowledge of Him, if they persist in their rebellion, they can only expect to perish in His anger.
But, recall how Psalm 2 ends. It doesn’t end with this threat. It ends with the hope of blessing. Blessing for those who take refuge in Him.
Merry Christmas.