CYPRESSWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST
December 25, 2005
CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR:
Our congregation Our nation, military and leaders
The peace of Jesus Christ David and James in the military
Various friends, relatives and co-workers Anita will have kidney surgery Jan. 3
The Stehliks recovering from illness
CONGRATULATIONS: To Susan who received her bachelors degree from Texas A & M last week after several years of study.
THE ASSEMBLY TODAY will be at 4 P.M.
Our weekly schedule will be back to normal this week, meeting on Wednesday at the building at 7 P.M. and next Sunday, New Year’s Day at 10 A.M.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
AND YET
“Some consider one day more sacred than another; others consider every day alike. Everyone should be fully convinced in their own mind” (Romans 14:5).
Some will look at today as just another Sunday, others that it is a special day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, a special day like the Passover falling on the Sabbath. There are some things we just do not know. We do not know what day Jesus was born on or what year He was born in. Based on this, there are those who say we should not even celebrate the birth of Christ because the Bible doesn’t say to do it. Even in early America, Christmas was not celebrated. When some congregations decide not to meet today because of the family time of coming together, others will say that it is the first day of the week and we are commanded to meet because it is not special a day, looking at it almost legalistically. And yet.
What better place to be than with God’s family in celebration today. Without the birth of Jesus there would have been no cross and no salvation, and therefore no assembly. It had to begin somewhere in time. The songs or carols we sing often reflect this idea; Jesus came to die. There is joy in the world as the faithful come together to remember that in a little town of Bethlehem on a midnight clear, God came into this world. The implications to that are great. John tells us that “the Word became flesh” and took up His abode among us (1:14). It is in the manger that we see God in the flesh, Immanuel. And yet.
Isaiah 52:5-11 has some important things to say. God tells us through Isaiah that His people are constantly mock and that His name is blasphemed. But then God will do something because they will recognize that “Your God reigns.” How will they know that? How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say in Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” Sound familiar? What did the angel tell the shepherds? “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). What a message! And it comes from Isaiah some seven hundreds years before the birth of the Messiah. People of the book would be excited about that, wouldn’t they? And yet.
When we see the events surrounding the birth of Jesus, we realize that while unusual, life quickly returned to normal. The shepherds went back to thinking about the sheep, though they had a great story to tell. The quiet little town returned to normal; some who had come for the census would stay and work there, others would go home. Those foreigners who showed up were gone. And there was peace. Then came a jealous king and his soldiers who sought out a baby; but because that child could not be identified, all babies two years old and younger died. It’s part of the story that we really don’t like to hear about, being so sad. And yet.
Today a number of groups do not want Americans to publicly display in anyway anything about the birth of Jesus. It is alright to have reindeer and Santa Claus, lights and shopping sprees, secular music and other religious holidays mentioned, but not Christmas. And “kings” come looking for children, not born but unborn, seeking to kill them by the millions. “Those who rule them mock” takes on a whole new meaning in today’s culture. What God has created in His image is torn apart, others are experimented on, all because of the jealousy of those who want to be god. And yet.
“Burst into songs of joy together…for the Lord has comforted his people, the Lord has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.” The Lord will lay bare His arm. The phrase “His arm” is a power metaphor in Isaiah. “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save” (59:1). “The arm of the Lord has been revealed” (53:1). “And his arm rules for him” (40:10). There are others. The Lord bares His arm. We look at that manger, with all its smells and sounds, and see a little baby whose arm is bared, moving, reaching, touching His mother. The bare arm of the Lord literally revealed. Then some thirty three years later the arms are revealed in another way, stretched out between two thieves, as a sin offering; “the salvation of our God.” The birth of Jesus and His death connected in yet another way. And yet.
Have we become too narrow in our focus to not include the birth of Jesus in our remembrance? The Passover was literally a one night event, but in scripture the entire situation from the bondage of Egypt to the crossing of the Red Sea by God’s powerful action, to the tents in the wilderness, to Mt. Sinai are included in the Passover event. So why not the entire life of Jesus remembered in the Lord’s Supper? We need the resurrection to understand His death, and we need His birth too. What does Isaiah say? “Burst into songs of joy together.” Is there not something to sing about?! Again, those carols we sing cover not just the birth but His death or purpose as well. And why not? Does not Isaiah do the same? In studying this, I’ve come to realize that we should read Isaiah 52:5 through 53:12 as one text, for it is one story. And that is something to sing about! And yet.
We in churches of Christ have often publicly downplayed this time of year and we might find ourselves in league with those who want to eliminate any thought of the birth of Jesus. There are arguments made that churches should not be involved, It’s not in scripture to do so, though the above might disagree with that. It is based on paganism. While there are pagan elements that were adopted and given Christian ideals, much of that has been lost over the years. Symbols however present powerful ideas. Just consider the recent interpretation of the song, The Twelve Days of Christmas. Granted, that interpretation is probably a urban legend, but still, it is a power idea that many choose to consider. And yet.
Maybe our view toward scripture has been too narrow. Looking again at Isaiah, one can see that there is much to consider. It is certainly interesting that Isaiah 52 is followed by one of the most famous and used texts of scripture in the New Testament. I believe there is a connection, just as there is a connection between the birth of Jesus and His death, a connection seen in the songs we sing. Paul used the Hebrew scriptures defending himself on trial in Jerusalem and before the governor in Caesarea. Moses and the prophets tell us about Jesus, as seen in our Isaiah text. And yet.
Should we consider celebrating the birth of Christ? Those who say no, according to Paul, should not be condemned if they do not (see Romans 14:1-5). And those who choose to celebrate should not be condemned either. This being a “Christmas Sunday” makes a celebration even more pronounced. God’s people gather to worship and praise, to encourage and thank, and to remember that some two thousand years ago the arm of the Lord was laid bare in a manger for us. Remembering in the words of the scriptures, in the songs sung, and in the taking of the Lord’s Supper, this day of celebration can focus us on the beginning of the most important Man in history leading to the most important event, the sacrificial Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. And yet.
Maybe we could just gather around as a family, sing, pray, and thank God for the Messiah. For a few moments we could forget about presents and trees and meals and naps and enjoy our time with God in our presence. And yet.
What do you think?
George B. Mearns