| Christmas |
The Meaning of
Christmas by Ralph Fudge
Burl Ives sang , “ Holly , Jolly Christmas ” and declared that this is the best time of the year . I love this song and agree Christmas is certainly one of the best times of the year . But we all need to ask what Christmas is all about . What does it really mean ? And do we celebrate it appropriately ?
To be brief , Christmas is all about Jesus Christ , the Son of the Living God ; and , for every Christian , it ’ s all about the Savior of all who will trust their souls to Him . But today , so many people ignore God and Christ in their lives . For many people in business , Christmas is just another opportunity for big sales and more profit . And to many ordinary consumers , Christmas is no more than a little time off from work and their responsibility to award gifts to children , relatives , and friends . Little , if any , thought is given to the true meaning of the season .
Sometimes we see signs that proclaim , “ Jesus is the Reason for the Season ” and “ Wise Men Still Seek Him .” These are certainly true statements , but how many people today really take it to heart ? So many people , especially those young enough to have children at home , spend so much time rushing to buy gifts and do many other things that are expected of them that they don ’ t have time to enjoy Christmas .
Christmas celebrates the birth of a man , Jesus of Nazareth . He was born , as many of us , to a poor family in the little town of Bethlehem of Judea . The family was visited by Shepherds , who told of witnessing an angel of the Lord that proclaimed that God had sent the world a Savior , His own Son , Jesus Christ . The real meaning of Christmas is the celebration of the Christ , the Messiah , the Savior of man from hell , and the absolute only way to get to
heaven . Nothing in this life is as crucial as trusting Jesus as our Savior . Nothing we can ever do on earth comes close in importance to that one simple act . So the Christ child ’ s birth , we see , was of tremendous importance as the only hope for a sad and weary world of sinners .
No other individual in all history has had such an impact on the world as Jesus of Nazareth . The Christ of God had such a humble beginning ! Born in a stable , He was laid in a feeding trough ( manger ). This was the King of the universe ! How many princes were born that night in the luxury of palaces ? How many babies were born to the rich and famous that night ? We have never heard of any of them . The Apostle John tells us , “ And the Word ( Son ) became flesh and dwelt among us , and we beheld His glory , the glory as of the only begotten of the Father , full of grace and truth .”
You and I will all pass away if the Lord does not return first . Our bodies will remain in the earth to decay or be scattered as ashes for those who elect cremation . But the moment of death brings separation of our immortal souls from our bodies . Your soul and mine will proceed either back to God in heaven or to the place of eternal torment ( hell ).
88 Winter 2023 Thomasville Scene