Why Celebrate Christmas? 5 Reasons to Consider

Why do we celebrate the birth of Jesus? It’s not found in the Bible.  Besides, most people know Jesus wasn’t actually born in December. These are worthy questions. There are many wonderful reasons, however, to celebrate this special time of the year.

1. Addressing Heresy

One reason Christmas began to be celebrated was to address heresy in the church.  Several hundred years after Jesus returned to Heaven, a particular false teaching was prominent.  It diminished the humanity of Jesus and focused only on His divine nature.  To promote the theological understanding that Christ was fully God and fully man, His birth began to be celebrated.  That’s a pretty important reason!

2. Redeeming Culture

Another reason Christmas began has to do with contextualization.  Those coming to faith in Christ needed to stop some of their pagan celebrations.  This left a hole in their lives and culture.  To fill that, a new meaning to the festival was given. It is common for missionaries to transform ungodly cultural practices and give them a new and redemptive meaning. For those coming from non-Christian backgrounds, having a special festival meets a natural human need within us personally and in our communities. It is important to celebrate and have fun!

3. Reflection

Whatever the reasons behind its beginning, for centuries Christmas has been an important part of the church calendar. Advent is a meaningful time of reflection, prayer, and drawing near to Christ.

Advent candles -5 Reasons to celebrate

4. An Opportunity to Give Gifts and Express Love

In my family, Christmas has always been a time to enjoy being together and doing special things.  Taking time to give meaningful gifts and express love to one another is genuinely important. Christmas gives us that opportunity. We also can show love and give gifts to the poor and needy around us. This year my husband and I invested some money in buying gifts for autistic teens in our neighborhood. Who can you bless this year?

5. Evangelism, Outreach, and Disciple-making

Christmas also has become my favorite time of the year to do evangelism.  There are many open doors at Christmas time to share with those who are curious about the true meaning behind all the Christmas trees, lights, and Santa suits. 

I pray this season and the coming days of festivity will bring you much joy and a beautiful opportunity to reflect on this wondrous truth. Jesus came as a baby, fully dependent on His parents, and fully human.   He came, lived, died, and rose again.  Oh, what a Savior!

Comments

  1. Anna Tang

    Christ shall not only be a King, but a Priest. He is God’s Minister to us, and our Advocate with the Father, and so is the Mediator between God and man.

    Why we need to give importance on the birth of our Christ、our Messiah 、Lord Jesus Christ ?

    Has the gospel of Christ been to us the power of God unto salvation?

    Has His kingdom been set up in our hearts?

    Are we His willing subjects?

    Once we knew not our need of His salvation, and we were not willing that He should reign over us. Are we willing to give up every sin, to turn from a wicked, insnaring world, and rely only on His merits and mercy, to have Him for our Prophet, Priest, and King?

    and do we desire to be holy?

    These are the questions we need to reflect this season if we really value the birth of our good and merciful Savior. Jesus will always be a just God who loves righteousness and hates wickedness .

    ◄ Psalm 110:5 ►
    The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

    Commentary on this verse:
    The Lord at thy right hand — This, it seems, is to be understood of the Messiah, instated in his regal power at the right hand of his Father; and not of the Father himself, as his helper and defender, as the phrase is used Psalm 16:8, and in some other places. Thus, this is an apostrophe to God the Father concerning his Son. This sense of the clause agrees best with the following verses; for it is evident that it is the same person who strikes through kings, and judges among the heathen, and fills the places, &c. Shall strike through kings — That is, shall break in pieces the greatest powers upon earth, who shall provoke his displeasure, by an obstinate opposition to his authority, and the establishment of his gospel. In the day of his wrath — In the day of battle, when he shall contend with them, and pour forth the floods of his wrath upon them.

    110:1-7 Christ’s kingdom. – Glorious things are here spoken of Christ. Not only He should be superior to all the kings of the earth, but He then existed in glory as the eternal Son of God. Sitting is a resting posture: after services and sufferings, to give law, to give judgment. It is a remaining posture: He sits like a king for ever. All His enemies are now in a chain, but not yet made His footstool. And His kingdom, being set up, shall be kept up in the world, in despite of all the powers of darkness. Christ’s people are a willing people. The power of the Spirit, going with the power of the world, to the people of Christs, is effectual to make them willing. They shall attend Him in the beautiful attire of holiness; which becomes His house for ever. And He shall have many devoted to Him. The dew of our youth, even in the morning of our days, ought to be consecrated to our Lord Jesus. Christ shall not only be a King, but a Priest. He is God’s Minister to us, and our Advocate with the Father, and so is the Mediator between God and man. He is a Priest of the order of Melchizedek, which was before that of Aaron, and on many accounts superior to it, and a more lively representation of Christ’s priesthood. Christ’s sitting at the right hand of God, speaks as much terror to His enemies as happiness to His people. The effect of this victory shall be the utter ruin of His enemies. We have here the Redeemer saving His friends, and comforting them. He shall be humbled; He shall drink of the brook in the way. The wrath of God, running in the curse of the law, may be considered as the brook in the way of His undertaking. Christ drank of the waters of affliction in His way to the throne of glory. But He shall be exalted. What then are we? To those who are thus changed, the Saviour’s sacrifice, intercession, and blessing belong.

    Our prayer :

    Heavenly Father, thank You that Jesus is sitting at Your right hand in glory. Thank You that one day He will reign in righteousness and justice over the earth. Prepare us to be the person You would have us be, until that day when we shall meet Jesus face to face and we will be known as we are known. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

    Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Psalm/110/1

    https://biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/110-5.htm

    #WhyWeCelebrateChristmas
    #ChristshallnotonlybeaKingbutaPriest. #HeisGodsMinistertousandourAdvocatewiththeFatherandsoistheMediatorbetweenGodandman.

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