Merry Christmas

"The Son of God became man to enable men to become the sons of God."

C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Merry Christmas, Love Jen

 

I John 4:9, NIRV "How did God show his love for us? He sent his one and only Son into the world. He sent him so we could receive life through him."

John 17:3, NRSV "And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."

Romans 5:17-19, NLT "For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous."

Who is Christmas’s Baby Jesus Really?

Do we know enough about who Jesus is to value what He is really worth? At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus as baby, but often times we do not look any further into who Jesus is until we hit Easter and “celebrate” Jesus’ death and resurrection. Although it may seem that I’m referring to Holiday church-goers, it is also Christ followers that do not really recognize who Jesus is. Too often we celebrate the Holiday as the Christmas story alone (Jesus’ birth) and forget the purpose and significance behind that birth.

Philippians 2:6-8 (NLT)

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Jesus was born so he might die. It is hard to fathom that anyone would choose to die like a criminal in order to save humanity, but to take it a step further and see that Jesus willingly waived His divine rights, humbled Himself, and became a human in order to die for humanity is mind blowing.

Jesus voluntarily surrendered his rights as God. He didn’t attempt to hold on to his power, glory, omniscience, omnipotence etc., but let go of those rights to become human. In the NLT version, it uses the phrase “cling to,” which can be likened to a robber seizing something that is not his own. As a human, Jesus let go of the privileges of His divinity. He added humanity to His divinity and restricted Himself from some of His powers. Eternity entered time, infinite became finite, the all powerful, all knowing, always everywhere became contained in a human baby, dependent on those around Him and limited to His current time and space. Paul, in this passage, likens the shift from being Divine God to human being as being a slave. Jesus is no longer the master, but is now a servant. Even further, a servant of humanity!

The passage in Philippians continues (9-11):

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Regardless of whether we know or acknowledge Jesus now, everyone will bow before Him. What we have to choose is whether to bow now or later. Choosing now means looking at that question I first asked and choosing to take action in our lives to KNOW Jesus.

The Promises of God Fulfilled in Jesus

To me, I sometimes think of the Advent season as just another tradition that we perform in the month of December that does not really strike the heart. My church does not celebrate Advent (with the wreath and candles, etc.), and I have never really participated in the events of it since I a was a little girl, and I did not really get it then. Communion, Advent, Lent, The Lord’s Prayer, and other practices that many Christian churches do on a weekly (or annual) basis can inspire, in and of themselves, great reverence, awe, thankfulness, and humility. However, at the same time, these practices may also cause apathy, indifference, and a lack of attention to the purpose behind the acts or events because of their repetition.

Although it may seem that I have gotten off tract in regard to the title of this blog, I haven’t. Christmas has become so commercialized and so formalized that it seems like we don’t really get to the heart of the season, the reason why we celebrate. As my cell group had been studying the book of Genesis, and the promises of God had been a recurring theme throughout that book, this season, I have looked at the birth of Jesus quite differently. In light of the book of Genesis, God’s provision of Jesus to save us is so awesome to realize.

Looking back at the book of Genesis, covenants were contracts between two parties who each agreed and made promises and, if they were not fulfilled, the party who did not fulfill their part could be (would be) killed. In the Covenant between Abram and God, Abram never walked through the blood sealing his promise, but God walked through twice. God made a promise of His own and then promised to keep Abram’s part. Abram’s part was that he’d “walk before me [God] and be blameless.” (Genesis 17:1b) Impossible? Yes. But God promised when he went through the covenant blood that he’d keep Abram’s part. And it was not just Abram’s promise, but “Then God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.’” (Genesis 17:9) God told Abraham (his name got changed here) that not just he would need to be blameless, but all who would have God be their God would need to be blameless.

How can we do this? Be blameless? We can’t. But God, knowing that Abraham/Abram (and us) would never be able to keep that promise, walked through the covenant blood for us and would keep that promise for us. How? Jesus. Because we couldn't keep the promise of blamelessness (and God chose to keep it for us), the covenant would be fulfilled with the death of Jesus. To me, it is so amazing that Jesus was willing to do this. To be a sacrifice for me who has never been, nor never will be here, blameless.

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NLT) reads that: “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding ‘Yes!’ And through Christ, our ‘Amen’ (which means ‘Yes’) ascends to God for his glory.” God fulfilled all His promises to His people with Jesus choosing to come and be a man and Him choosing to be our sacrifice (see Philippians 2:6-8). The Promise of God was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus and in His choice to submit to death. This idea has hugely influenced my outlook on Christmas this year and on how important this birth was. It had been thousands of years in the making, and we only celebrate God’s willingness to be like us and to die for us one day a year, and that has been made so commercialized it has become unrecognizable. The celebration of the Advent of Jesus should be recognized for what it used to be, the anticipation and longing for our God’s sacrifice.

The term “advent” means the “arrival that has been awaited (especially of something momentous).” I realized this year that I don’t celebrate the birth of Jesus through the whole month in anticipation of celebrating that He came to live and die for me. I worry and I fret about money and buying gifts, about having time for Christmas parties and friends and family. I need to re-prioritize my life and realize that it is the advent of Jesus that has given me forgiveness, grace, and mercy. That it is due to that covenant between Abram and God, that God kept both parts, that I am saved through that choice God made to love me unconditionally. Shouldn’t I take that realization and let the Holy Spirit work in me to make me a new creation? Shouldn’t I let go of the old man and put on the new? (See Ephesians 4:17-24) I need to let the Advent of Jesus and the celebration of His life and death change me, make me new, and make life about Him, not me.

Christmas with Family and Friends

Family Christmas

This Curran Christmas was a little different than most years. Patrick didn't join us for the Christmas Tree Hunt, which we did in the middle of a beautiful, but cold, snowfall.
This year at Christmas, the Curran Family had an extra person. Patrick's friend from college Nathan joined us for the Holiday.

We had our traditional breakfast of egg bake, coffee cake, and hashbrowns at mom's house.
We opened stockings and gifts at mom's house (with breakfast in between).
We then proceeded to my apartment for games and Christmas dinner, where we were joined by Marisa. For dinner this year, we had:
























Friends Christmas



As usual, Marisa, Theresa, Caytie, and I had dinner and gift opening at Marisa's house for Christmas this year.

For an appetizer this year, we had Pumpkin Soup, which sounds not so good, but was absolutely fabulous.

Then for dinner we had cranberry chicken, green beans, and rice.

After gift opening and numerous pictures from the paparazzi, we relaxed by the tree and watched the cats bat at the ornaments.

Overall, it was a wonderful Christmas Holiday!

Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays

I understand the interest and controversy over whether to say to people or shop at places that promote or say one over the other. I'm not really sure how I feel about it. I personally use Merry Christmas because the point of the "holiday" is the birth of the Christ, Jesus. That is the reason I celebrate. I give gifts; I put up a tree, lights, and other decorations, but the real meaning of Christmas is that the creator of the world became the savior of the world; to do that, he had to become like us, live like us, but not sin like us. That is the point of Christmas.

Happy Holidays has become popular because people celebrate this "holiday" as a fun day of giving gifts, period. They don't want Christ or God to enter into their lives, thus they have left Christ out of Christmas. What better way to do that then to overgeneralize what the purpose of the celebration is and say Happy Holidays?

I agree with those who say the reason for the season is Christ, therefore, Christmas. However, do we want Jesus' birth commercialized any more than it already is? Is fighting with stores and consumers over whether to say "Christmas" or "Holidays" important? Christ is important, but is using the name of Jesus to sell more toys, electronics, and cars right? I want the point of Jesus' birth to be made, but should it be made while customers are fighting over the last toy on the shelf? Should the name of God be associated with, what has become a commercialized time of the year?

On the flip side, aside from the origins of the actual date of the celebration of the birth of Christ (see BBC Article), the reason that the majority of people celebrate the "holiday" is because their parents celebrated the birth of Christ (or, if not their parents, their grandparents). Why do they celebrate now? What is their purpose now? To hang holly, give gifts, and get together with family? What is the real point? The point is a birthday celebration, and the reason for the season should be made clear...just about everyone began celebrating or now celebrates because of Jesus.

What is the answer?


P.S. - Did you know the word holiday is a conjunction of use over time of the words "Holy" and "Day?" Also, Holy means, among other things: "specially recognized as or declared sacred; dedicated or devoted; entitled to worship or veneration; and unimpaired innocence and virtue, free from sinful affections, pure in heart, irreproachable, and guiltless." If this is what we celebrate, Christ's birth as a "Holy Day," I have no problem saying Happy Holidays!