For God's Sake (And Yours) Celebrate!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the first Christmas was not the peaceful, all warm by the fire, holiday that is depicted on our Christmas cards. Mary’s experience alone must have been more humiliating, worrisome, and even dangerous than any experience any of us have had or will have (especially during the holidays).

Here is my explanation from the previous post:

Because of how often we hear stories like it today, we are probably numb to the drama of Mary’s unexplained, unplanned teen pregnancy. But in Mary’s day, such a scandal was incredibly shameful and potentially deadly. No doubt rumors spread throughout her neighborhood. What were at once friends probably began to look at her with judgment. And people who heard her “I saw and angel” story surely thought she was crazy. Even her fiancée, as noble a man as he was, was at the very least disappointed until he had his own angelic encounter. It’s a miracle in itself that Mary was even allowed to have the baby! In that culture, circumstances like those surrounding Mary and her unborn child almost definitively called for abortion. Given the embarrassment that surely surrounded her, I’m sure Mary wasn’t in the least bit opposed to accompanying her future husband on his government-mandated trip out of town.

On top of Mary’s personal struggle, what the arrival of a messianic “King of the Jews” meant for all those involved was a revolution that threatened Roman control. That’s at least what some of the Romans thought. And, as history proved over and over, the Roman’s naughty list was the last place you wanted to find your name. The king Rome put in charge of Judea, Herod, was not the most benevolent of rulers. Struggling with depression and paranoia, he ordered the mass killing of distinguished Jews on the day of his own death so that there would be a proper atmosphere of mourning. He also, more famously, ordered the massacre of every boy two years and under in Bethlehem just to make sure the toddler Jesus wouldn’t cause him any future problems. Indeed, ushering in divine, king babies who were supposed to be bringing in new world orders was a dangerous business to be in. It’s no wonder that when informed about what was happening inside of her, Mary was “greatly troubled” (Luke 1:29). When told that his son would go before the Lord and prepare the way for this revolution, Zechariah couldn’t believe it (Luke 1:18)! Of course we know that their concerns were justified. Both Mary’s and Zachariah’s sons would be executed by Roman hands.

If anyone had the right to be stressed out on Christmas, it was the households of Joseph and Zechariah. Sure, having a child would make for the best day of their lives, but given the pending danger, the last thing you’d expect is for someone to sing praises. But despite the troubling nature of the “good news”, it would be received with radical celebration.

Mary would sing verses like, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior,” and, “the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name,” and, “His mercy extends to those who fear him,” (Luke 1:47-50).

Given that God “blessed” Mary with a child that could get her killed, “mercy” seems like an odd choice of vocabulary. Nevertheless, Mary rejoiced at the good news as if God himself was growing inside of her.

Zechariah’s son was destined to “go before” Jesus in his revolution like the first soldier through the door of an unexamined room. Sure there is reason to be proud, but one would imagine the concern of a dad for his son wouldn’t translate into singing, “Praise be to the Lord,” (Luke 1:68).

What Mary and Zechariah knew was that despite the danger, and even with the danger, came victory. This was the beginning of what they had been waiting for. The long awaited Messiah was on his way! And that called for celebration no matter how difficult it would be.

There are four songs in Luke’s first two chapters. Two of them have already been mentioned. The third is the message delivered to some nearby shepherds on the day of Jesus’ birth. A whole choir of angels was only appropriate to deliver such incredible news. The fourth is that of a man, Simeon, who knew God was going to do something great during his lifetime. When he saw Jesus, he exclaimed, “Lord…you may dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation,” (Luke 2:29). Simeon was the first to realize that after Jesus, this world can’t give us anything else.

My point is this: Christmas must always be a celebration. You’re probably thinking to yourself, “Duh. What else could Christmas be?” But it is very possible to go all the way through the holiday season and never really celebrate what Christmas is really about. Now this isn’t a typical “Remember the Reason for the Season” message. I’m confident that at least most of you know the true reason for Christmas. My concern is that we often don’t really celebrate it like we should.

There are plenty of difficult things about Christmas. Many people get more stressed out over the holiday season than at any other time of the year! There is shopping to do, obscure presents to find, travel plans to make, people to visit, activities to participate in, parties to attend, cookies to bake, food to prepare, church services to sit through, charities to give to, service projects to help with, decorations to put up, decorations to take down, relatives to endure, and money to be spent. It is a busy time of year. In many people’s lives “Christmas break” is an oxymoron. And lets not talk about the money. For most, Christmas means their bank balances are dropping as fast as the temperature. All of this can get in the way of real celebration.

Of course, there are those who have legitimate reasons to not feel like celebrating. The Holidays are some of the hardest times of the year for those who have lost loved ones. It is also a difficult time for parents who don’t have the means to buy gifts for their children. And I know that the simple idea of “Christmas cheer” is not enough to remedy that pain. My prayers are with you. But we must remember, no matter how hard Christmas can be on us, celebration is the only appropriate response. That obviously does not mean that there is no room for grief. But the joy of a savior come is hopefully sufficient to outweigh our pain.

So how do we make sure we celebrate appropriately? It’s different for different people. Perhaps the best thing for you is to find time to rest. If your schedule over the holidays is so crammed that you have no room to breathe, how can you expect to even notice the miracle that Christmas represents? Take time out of every day to read the Christmas story (Matthew 1-2 or Luke 1-2). And make sure to be active in prayer.

Maybe you’re greatest need during Christmas time is a little self-sacrifice. It is very easy to be wrapped up in yourself and what you want during this time of year. If at all possible, find some charity to give your money to or some organization to volunteer your time to. This might not seem like celebration, but I promise you giving is the greatest way to actually see Jesus at the holidays.

It is very possible that you need to party a bit more (note my definition of “party” might not be the same as yours). Many people seem to drudge through the holidays with no excitement. I don’t understand that. Wake up! Jesus is here! It’s time to celebrate. Sing some songs, even break out with some dance moves. Whatever it takes.

And of course, spend time with family if you can. Engage in conversations that build one another up and find activities that create memories. Don’t be afraid to do something that seems out there. No doubt Mary and Joseph never forgot that one Christmas when they delivered a baby in a barn.

I could list more things but I’ve written a lot and you undoubtedly have Christmas stuff to do. My prayer for all of you is that you have a merry Christmas. But not only that. Make it a meaningful Christmas. In the hustle and bustle and even the pain, don’t forget to celebrate.