Rethinking Christmas

Text: “7 And he preached, saying, ‘After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’” (Mark 1:7-8)

Each season of the church year has a specific emphasis. They each have a unique message about Jesus Christ. And the readings in our weekly lectionary— especially the gospel readings— are picked according to that emphasis. And John the Baptist is particularly appropriate for this season of Advent. Because he reminds us of exactly who it is who is coming.

The birth of any baby is filled with a whirlwind of emotions, a huge mix of hopes and fears. Will he be bold or shy? Will she be athletic or academic? We’re anxious to find out. And when the child is born, part of the joy is getting to know him or her.

The same is, arguably, true of Christmas and the birth of Christ. If we’re concerned at all about keeping Christ in Christmas, we’re well aware that the day is not just about the tree and the decorations and the presents— it’s about celebrating the birth of a child. But who will He be? All the normal questions are there, with countless new ones added. Because, even when we’re dealing with Jesus during His ministry— a fully grown, fully realized individual with a very clear message about who He is and what He’s come to do— there is a huge temptation to interpret Him in our own way, to re-create Him in our own image. That’s even easier to do with a baby.

I didn’t see it, but I understand that there was a movie several years back where the main character insisted on praying to “little baby Jesus.” I suspect that the reason for it is something like this. The baby Jesus is far less threatening, far less challenging. Rather than potentially forcing us to change our thinking, let alone our actions, you and I get to remain in control. You can even project your hopes and fears, your likes and dislikes, upon Him.

We certainly see it in our public discourse. For as often as Christians are told to keep our faith out of any discussions of public policy, it’s interesting how often we’re told, in no uncertain, terms that Jesus would support a particular policy. Most recently, of course, we were assured that Jesus would most definitely wear a mask in public. Let me be clear— I’m not addressing the question of whether masks are effective or not. We rely upon our human reason to answer that question. We listen to the science and the studies and the experts. The Bible doesn’t tell us whether or not they are effective. And that’s really the point. We like to project our hopes and fears, our likes and dislikes upon Him.

That’s even easier to do with a baby. We don’t have to contend with His words or actions and try to reinterpret them to better suit us. In fact, in this case, we even get to write words like ‘peace’, ‘hope’, and ‘joy’ on Him in big, bold letters.

Yes, this is a perfect time to heed John the Baptist; to hear him declaring clearly who Jesus is and what He came for. And the $64,000 question is, does his picture of Jesus match up with yours?

John declared, “7 ...After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie” (Mark 1:7). Does the little baby in the manger of your nativity scenes humble you? If not, then you might have Christmas without Christ.

“4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4). He said, “8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:8). Does getting ready for Christmas in your house only mean putting up lights and decorations? Or is it, also, a call for a change of heart— a call to hear the words of Christ, which lay bare even the hidden sins in your hearts, the sins of thoughts as well as actions, the good that you’ve failed to do as well as the evil that you’ve done? The words that accuse you of not loving even your enemies, that accuse you of casting stones even though you are far from being sinless?

Repent and hear John the Baptist declaring to you and to all the world who it is that is coming. Jesus is not a blank slate for you to project your hopes and fears, your likes and dislikes upon. The little baby in the little manger in your nativity sets should not just humble you, it should evoke a powerful sense of awe and wonder. It represents the greatest mystery in human history— He is the eternal Son of God, come down to earth in human flesh. He has been for all eternity. Through Him all things were created. Without Him was nothing made that has been made. He laid the foundations of the earth. He determined its measurements; He set the stars in place and determined their courses; and one day He will return to judge the living and the dead. At His very name, every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that He is Lord.

And, for a moment, He stepped down from all of it and chose to be born as a little child. The infinite God put Himself into human flesh; made Himself dependent upon the care, protection, and provision of a man and a woman; and He did it for you. The whole reason why He took on that human body was so that He could bear your sins in His body to the cross; so that He could suffer and die for you there.

He is all that John the Baptist says that He is. He has done all that John the Baptist declared that He would do, including causing you to be baptized with water combined with His Holy Spirit. No, He doesn’t allow Himself to be defined by you and me. He has redefined you by the power and promise of what He delivered to you in baptism— causing you to be born again there in the water of baptism by the power of the Holy Spirit, making you a child of God.

Keeping Christ in Christmas means keeping John the Baptist in Christmas. By all means, we revel in the lights and the decorations— and, I dare say, even a little bit of Christmas music— but getting ready for Christmas is also a call to hear the words of Christ, which lay bare even the hidden sins in your hearts, the sins of thoughts as well as actions, the good that you’ve failed to do as well as the evil that you’ve done, the words that accuse you of not loving your enemies, that accuse you of casting stones even though you are far from being sinless. Hear Him clearly because He was born to take all of those sins away.