The Reason for the Season
Scripture: John 10:1-10
John 10:10 “I came so that they”
Every Christmas season there’s a point when my spirit becomes agitated with Christmas. The disruption comes and goes all during the festivities. It usually occurs in November or can be as late as December. This year it happened to me the second week of November. I was walking through Conestoga Mall when “it” happened. I became agitated with the consumerism rushing past me on route to the next store. Shoppers were pressing to buy another bag to add to their already over-loaded arms. The race was on before the Market-bell announced closure for the night. Every Christmas I feel concern about richness squandered instead of shared with people who really need it. I ponder, I perplex and I puzzle about what people really believe The Reason for the Season to be. While I’m going through that I’m also dealing with the convictions of what I live and reflect as The Reason for the Season.
We decide every Christmas Season what The Reason for the Season means for us. For some it is selfishly driven and not a time of “good will toward men”. Others become trapped as they merely try to “get with the program” of gift-buying for people they seldom have much to do with and handing out well-wishes that in many cases don’t live past Christmastime. Many others try to keep their eyes focused on Christ in Christmas. They not only want that during Christmas but are hopeful that the experience of Christ in Christmas defines the spirit of their living all year.
The Bible teaches us valuable principles that can help us never lose sight of The Reason for the Season. The first step in this awareness and development is to understand:
1. HE IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON
I found not fewer than fifteen Bible verses that can illustrate the points I’m to share today. I’ve chosen only specific verses for each theme that best capture the lesson. For this first lesson we travel back to time to Isaiah 7 where Isaiah gives us the sign of Messiah. Among his details is the indication that Mary would call him “Immanuel” which Isaiah says in verse 14 means “God with us”. The other verse is Luke 5:32 (The Message): “I’m here inviting outsiders – not insiders – an invitation to a changed life, changed inside and out.”
David Gregory, author and conference speaker, wrote a book called “Dinner with a Perfect Stranger”. It is a fictional story of Nick Cominsky who received a dinner invitation from Jesus. He had a difficult time believing that the person across the table from him was actually Jesus. He thought his friends were up to their practical jokes and this was too much. Jesus made the comment that it wasn’t quite what Nick expected and that if he’d give it a try it would be quite meaningful. Nick responded, “Of course! Who wouldn’t find a dinner with Jesus meaningful? Last week I had dinner with Napoleon. Socrates the week before. But Jesus! Thank you so much for coming all the way from the Holy Land!”
Isn’t this story a reflection of our own experiences sometimes, in some ways? The idea of “God with us” is too much to absorb. We can’t fathom that Cosmic Creator left the Holy Land of the mysterious expanse and came down among us! That is beyond credibility! Well, He did; and He’s here! He is the Reason for the Season!
Renowned author and pastor, Max Lucado teases out the theology of “God with us” in his book “He chose the Nails”. Lucado invites us to browse through the racks of religious options and sweet deals clamoring for us to sell out to what they’re offering. Among the options is this quality ‘Product’ called Jesus Who alone gives us “an invitation to a changed life, changed inside and out.”
“You want to see the brightest jewel in the treasure of incarnation? When God entered time and became a man, he who was boundless became bound. Imprisoned in flesh. Restricted by weary-prone muscles and eyelids. For more than three decades, his once limitless reach would be limited to the stretch of an arm, his speed checked to the pace of human feet.”
Our focus as we look to capture The Reason for the Season definitely includes the person and presence of God in the world. Without Him there’s only good works for the sake of works that can help us find some sanity to the lunacy of the rush and rumble of Christmas. Without him the central message of “peace on earth” is overshadowed with anxiety and debt! Without Christ at the core of Christmas the reality is nothing more than time off work. It is as Labour Day or the Easter Bunny.
The challenge is we not lose sight of the spirit-stirring and history-shaping dynamic of the message “God with us”! One source asks, “Can you imagine becoming an ant? You would have to lay aside many of your assets as a human being, such as your human body, your strength, and your talents. You would have to live under the limitations of an ant.” This illustration gives us the tiniest glimpse of understanding what was involved in God becoming one of us because it was only by becoming like us that we could have “God with us”!
The second principle that helps us keep focused during Christmas is this:
2. YOU ARE THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!
I’m not messing with your head! I know I just said He is the Reason for the Season – and that’s true but the reason it’s all about Him is because it’s all about you! It’s a message not only about us but about what God wants for us!
Let’s refer again to Isaiah 7:14. The first inflexion of my voice was “GOD with us” but now it changes to “God with us”! I’ve sometimes heard the expression “stay with me”. Often it’s an expression by someone who is lonely, in fear or experiencing crisis or pain. I’ve heard it as a joyful, deep expression of pleasure one gets from a meaningful hour with a friend or mate and doesn’t want the time together to end. Yet there comes that point when the staying ends; when our human limitations prevent us from being present indefinitely. “God with us” is a never-ending proposition! He desires that because He enjoys your company!
Mark Buchanan, author of The Rest of God: restoring your soul by restoring Sabbath asks, “How aware have you been, right now, that Jesus is with you?” (Emphasis mine) He then challenges us to greet Jesus, preferably out loud but at least in our hearts. In a moment I’m going to invite you to speak a greeting to Jesus as you become aware of him with you. If Jesus walked in the door and decided to sit next to you, how would you greet him? Be aware of him now and when I count down from three I want as many as possible to speak a greeting, your greeting to Jesus…
Are you ready with your greeting? Here we go, 3-2-1…
Oh, the things we do to give gifts to those we love. There’s nothing scarier for a man than walking in a store and weaving the isles of a woman’s department! We skim through rows of purses, past the pants and blouses, almost embarrassed to touch the garments because we’re not sure of sizes and styles. Then we almost walk through the minefield of ladies’ lingerie and underwear and catching ourselves just in time we spot a detour that gets us out of the danger zone. The clerk asks, “Can I help you?” and our response is “duhhh,” (with a puff of breath), “Please!” We’ll go through these awkward experiences because we really value and love that special someone and that Christmas gift or birthday gift or “just because” gift is in that moment only about her – or him – or them.
Jesus entered our zone. It’s all about us and to get the gift of life in our hearts he assumed the awkward, limiting – should I say embarrassing – stance of humanity so he could declare as written in Luke 5:32 (The Message): “I’m here inviting outsiders – not insiders – an invitation to a changed life, changed inside and out.” It is the message of Jesus in John 10:10 (The Message): “I came so that they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” You are the Reason for the Season!
All of this leads us to a conclusion about Christmas and the purpose of these days. God took steps to be in relationship with us. Being in relationship with him is
3. THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!
There’s a song I remember from years ago that captures the lesson of this third principle. It says,
“You and me Jesus / We sure fooled them all / They just thought they knew for sure that I was gonna’ fall / I’m sure far from perfect as you can plainly see / But after all these years oh Lord / It’s still you and me!”
In The Sacred Romance: Drawing closer to the heart of God Brent Curtis and John Eldridge share a wonderful analogy of how we often do not relate to God; that God is perceived as a distant deity. It’s the analogy of watching a movie. We relate to different characters. We gravitate to those characters that reflect something of our own experiences. But what about the author; where is the mastermind that wrote the story? We don’t see them or hear from them, at least not openly. They may be a character sketched into the story. But it doesn’t change the heart of the author who with skill and precision draws us into life and inspires hope and heroism.
God wrote the story. He is the ‘author and finisher’ (Hebrews 12:2) of our faith. But to avoid the threat of merely watching from a distance God came down; God put himself in the story of humanity. He chose to be “God with us” and in turn he invited us outsiders to a “changed life, changed inside and out” and gave us “real and eternal life, more and better life than we ever dreamed of.”
Francis Chan, in his book, Crazy Love spoke of a time when he had a desire to grow in his love for God so he decided to spend some time alone in the woods on this quest. A friend prayed for him and said, “God, I know how you’ve wanted this time with Francis.” Chan writes of that prayer, “Though I didn’t say anything at the time, I secretly thought it was a heretical way to pray and that he was wrong to phrase it that way. I was going to the woods because I wanted more of God. But he’s God. He certainly wouldn’t want more of me! It seemed demeaning to think that God could long for a human being.”
Counsellor, Dr. Gary Chapman, wrote the New York Time’s best seller, The Five Love Languages: how to express heartfelt commitment to your mate. When it debuted in 1992 it sold over 5 million copies. He wrote variations for teens’ love languages. The five languages are 1) Words of affirmation; 2) Quality time; 3) Receiving Gifts; 4) Acts of Service and 5) Physical touch. What amazes me is thinking of Bible passages that show how God is the perfect lover! He demonstrates all of these in his desire for me! When we get beyond the idea that being a lover is about sex we come face to face with the most profound picture of perfect love that there could ever be! God faithfully expresses the five love languages to us, expressing his heartfelt commitment to me! All he wants in return is that I be as excited and committed to relationship with him. The Reason for the Season is that God and I would be committed to each other! He is the Reason for the Season so I could be The Reason for the Season! Isn’t that simply awesome?!
Would you read this statement of love with me?
Christmas was God’s plan to bridge the gap between him and me. He didn’t have to; he chose to; he wanted to. He took the measures necessary to restore our love and our relationship. He never merely said, “I love you”. He proved it when he put on skin and bones and then nailed it to the cross. God passionately loves ME. God is committed to his love for ME!”
When Christmas overwhelms you take a “time out” and sit quietly to be reminded of The Reason for the Season.
How different our world would be if the spirit of Christmas lived 365 days a year. Maybe as we try to live the message others will catch the spirit and discover The Reason for the Season and come into relationship with God.
Amen to that!
