My Thoughts On Christmas 2012

This entry will be an interlude between parts one and two of why I am an LCMS Lutheran... but at the same time, I believe it will compliment that subject well.

Egg Nog... That is usually the first secular thing that comes to mind when I think about Christmas. I obviously don't need it... none of us do. There is enough cholesterol in a cup of it to make your coronary arteries spasm at the mere thought of drinking it. Warm up the cath lab, because here comes Egg Nog! Then don't forget the Nutmeg... I stand there at the kitchen counter with the small Nutmeg container in my hand... I probably dust the surface of the Egg Nog four to five times while I am drinking it. Every time it starts to disappear, I dust it again. Then the dog has to come in and sit down in the middle of the floor and stair at me. I guess he knows it has eggs in it. Maybe he smells it. Giving him some would be bad though... Nutmeg is highly toxic to dogs.

So...

My next thought is in regard to Christmas trees. I would love to have a house with just enough extra space where I could have a different themed Christmas tree in every room... you know, so that they could be seen through the windows and add to the exterior decorations that way.

Here is a quote from History.com that I liked:

"Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it in the 16th century when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. Some built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles if wood was scarce. It is a widely held belief that Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, first added lighted candles to a tree. Walking toward his home one winter evening, composing a sermon, he was awed by the brilliance of stars twinkling amidst evergreens. To recapture the scene for his family, he erected a tree in the main room and wired its branches with lighted candles."



The many Christmas trees at Santa's Workshop at the Vanderburgh County 4H Center 2012

 That is only a small part of the entry which in its entirety is fascinating due the history of the Christmas tree before and after the above citation. I will post the link to the entire article at the end of this blog post.

Most people in my little part of the world tend to get "holiday cheer." I only say it that way because I am sure there are quite a few who don't grasp or care about the reasons Christians celebrate Christmas. Don't get me wrong... I kind of like the blue pointed Christmas hats with the fluffy white ball on top and the Christmas ornaments that were available at the Evansville Icemen game tonight. Those things, even though commercial, can be quite fun.



Rhiannon and the Christmas Pig

 Then we could talk about my youngest daughter's lighted holiday yard decoration... a pink, winged, red ribboned Christmas pig. Don't ask, because I am not sure what connection it really has with Christmas. It has a halo, so I guess it is an angelic pig?

So, I have digressed... Even though those things above are on my mind this Christmas, they deal with the every-day worldly facet of our lives. These things are not what I truly long for this Christmas.

I long for the peace and warmth that we feel when we look at Christmas trees, or a snowy Christmas themed piece of art, to shift to the peace that passes understanding in that of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are so many places that I could start, but I will start simply.

One of my Scouts told me something that I greatly admired while we were on a five-mile hike with Troop 310. He told me that his family celebrates St. Nicholas Day and Christmas separately. St. Nicholas Day was December 6th. To understand the significance, you will need to read up on a bit on the history of the REAL St. Nicholas. I will post some links for that below as well.



This is how I think of a St. Nicholas or Santa Claus



Needless to say, the Scout advised me that his family celebrates St. Nicholas Day and Christmas and this helps them separate the two dates to where they where in the first place... one celebrating the things that St. Nicholas had done, and far more importantly the other being the birth of God as man in Jesus Christ.

I think our family will start with this practice in the coming year. It makes perfect sense to me.

  

Another thing I long for this Christmas is the same thing I long for around Easter... to be able to attend as many of the services being held at our church as possible. I have my favorite services: Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Easter... Reformation Day, and then of course... the candlelight Christmas Eve service. But, there are many others I have never attended. I would love to attend all of the Christmas Eve services or the several services of Good Friday including Tenebrae.

I am looking forward to Communion this year at the 11:00pm Christmas Eve service.



My daughter Kat and her dog Mal

 So, why am I here writing to anyone who will read my thoughts on Christmas tonight? It is simply a statement of what is the most important thing in my life, what I believe. If you haven't already stopped reading because maybe Christianity isn't  a topic you like to explore, or my faith may differ from yours, I understand... but... for me Christmas has more meaning each year. I used to hate this "holiday."

In high school, I had several friends die around this time. So Christmas always brought back memories I wasn't ready to face. It always brought sadness. I have learned that I was the problem, not Christmas. If nothing else, Christmas is the great affirmation that should destroy all sadness as nor greater gift has ever been given than that of God's own son.

Want to dissect my thinking? I will help. First, I want to start with the Nicene Creed. I do not view this (or either of the two main creeds) as "vane repetition" as some would like to call it. I consider a core statement of what I believe... a concise, complete means of relaying what my heart knows to be true. And when I am in a room of several hundred saying it boldly with the same conviction? I feel at home. Let's start there and I will back track to my thoughts on Christmas.

The Nicene Creed:

"I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.

 

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.

 

And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets.

 

And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen."

It says what I believe, but for this topic I want to explore a portion of the second paragraph: "And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man." I want to look at this only as it leads us, as does scripture, to a small town in Israel called Bethlehem. 



St. Paul's LCMS taken by Von Fuchs



So how can we be sure that this person is the Messiah? For me it must start with the fact that I believe that scripture is the inerrant word of God. Scriptura alone shows us.

Let's look back at some passages where God has told us all we need to know about who Christ would be and where to find him (all references are English Standard Version - ESV).

Micah 5:2 -

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

Matthew 2:1 -

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east

came to Jerusalem.

Matthew 2:5-6 -

They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

• 
  
  “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
  are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
  for from you shall come a ruler
  who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Luke 2:4 -
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

John 7:42 -
Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”

Matthew 1:17 -
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

Isaiah 7:14 -
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

The very meaning of Immanuel is "God with us." We can go on a bit further here (and I am not pointing out all of the references and fulfillment of the scripture), but lets look at one relaying directly to Christ's own purpose and death:

Isaiah 53:5 -

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

This verse says it all. Where the Law, as given to Moses, shines a spotlight on sin, Christ is the very methodology by which our sins are forgiven. Christ paid the price.

This Christmas, we exist in a time of uncertainty. We are still freshly mortified by a great act of evil in Connecticut with the killing of children and teachers. The news and the focus of our days do not seem to be stable.

Christ is certainty. Christ is stable. Through Christ's birth as God and Man, and His death and resurrection (cross and tomb as Pastor Eckels would say), we are blameless and may enter into the presence of God.



Ree and Michael waiting to see Santa

 This is all that I know need to know so that I may look forward to Christmas each year. Reaching back two thousand years for the foretold birth of a savior for mankind through the Advent season is what I now look for in Christmas. It is a celebration.

My job is to lead my children to see this much earlier in their lives than did I. It is also to enable my wife to celebrate the season with the fervor by which she wishes to do so. We grow a little each year.

I have included some pictures from our Advent season this year. I hope you enjoy. My God bless you and keep you.

I will leave you with this, the lyrics of an Advent essential:

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!


Taken by Von Fuchs

 O come, our Wisdom from on high,
Who ordered all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!   O come, O come, our Lord of might,
Who to your tribes on Sinai's height
In ancient times gave holy law,
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!   O come O Rod of Jesse's stem,
From ev'ry foe deliver them
That trust your mighty pow'r to save;
Bring them in vict'ry through the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!   O come, O Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav'nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!   O come, our Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by your drawing nigh,
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!   O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
O bid our sad divisions cease,
And be yourself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!


Links I promised above:
http://www.history.com/topics/history-of-christmas-trees

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas

http://www.history.com/topics/santa-claus