Written by Christmas can be a confusing time for us. We sing “Joy to the World” and “Peace on Earth and Goodwill toward Men” but have you ever been to WalMart on Thanksgiving Evening or black Friday? There is hardly any Christmas cheer at places like this, rather ‘self’ is King and the latest and greatest material possessions are the only currency we care about. People dueling it out for the latest Frozen doll, flat screen TV’s, iPhone’s, and this years top seller over all others – guns. The FBI averaged 3 background checks per second for 17 straight hours during this years sales. I’m not against owning a gun(s), I state this to point out the large difference between the world we live in and the songs we sing during Christmas. Even more so the National Institute of Health points out that prior to Christmas day there is an increase in certain types of severe mood swings, depression, and alcohol-related fatalities while after Christmas day there is an increase in the use of emergency health institutions for self-harm behavior like suicide and overdose. The Christmas season can be a very tumultuous and lonely time for a lot of people, and the Christmas cards we give out to family and friends with reindeer and snowy houses resembling Thomas Kinkade portraits don’t help explain what this season is all about.
Which, in my opinion, is what is needed during this season the most. We must explain and remind ourselves and those around us why we do Christmas at all. So behind all the trimmings and trappings, all the sales and merchandise, and all the lights and trees, what is Christmas really about? Jesus. But more importantly, the reason Jesus came. So let’s ask the question today: why did Jesus come? Really, why did the first Christmas happen? Why did Jesus advent among us?
It is my opinion that most church-goers today seem to be more influenced by man-centered lies than God-centered truth. Perhaps it reveals that we are more influenced by some of the horrid songs on Christian radio than the Bible itself. This ought to change. The Bible ought to shape our view of reality, life, death, afterlife, race, of all things, even Christmas. So if we then return to our question today, ‘Why did Jesus come?’ we find the answer different than what we would naturally think. According to the Bible the primary, the supreme, the first and foremost reason Jesus advented among us was FOR GOD. Particularly Jesus came for the vindication of God’s holiness. But I don’t want you to merely take my word on this, I want you to se this in the Scripture itself. So turn with me to the book of Ezekiel, chapter 36.
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