An Observance or An Event

Is Christmas an observance or an event? It's important to distinguish the difference. An observance is an act of remembering an event. The event that is remembered is not repeated.

Observances are important and we have many. Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Day are three among many. Lest anyone think that I am writing to speak

against observances, allow me to remind you of the importance of observances.

• Observances keep events in our sight. We do not forget even though the event may be in the distant past. Events not remembered in time are forgotten. The birth of Christ must never be forgotten.

• Observances enable us to honor and express deserved love and appreciation to the characters and particpants in the cherish event. "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). In a million years, we could never adequately express our love and appreciation to God for sending His Son into the world as a little baby.

• Observances serve as an invitation to others who are isolated from or strangers to the event to join us in the experience and the celebration. Not every person in our world professes faith in Christ or believes in the birth event. If they believe that His birth actually happened, some would insist that it was just like the birth of any other Jewish child. Through our observance and celebration of the birth of Christ, we invite unbelivers to come to the manger, to behold and believe.

While observances are important and should never be ignored or diminished, there is a subtle danger of which we should always be aware. Our observances must never become larger than the event. Observances can grow and expand to the point that the observance becomes more important than the event. Let us rent our garments and throw dusts on our heads if this should ever happen.

The event of the birth of Christ must forever be larger than any and all celebrations of His birth. In the spirit of the words of John the Baptist who said, "He must increase but I must decrease"(John 3:30), the event of the birth of Christ must overshadow all observances of His birth.

The intent of all Christmas observances should be to magnify the event of the birth of Christ. Galatians 4:3-5 magnifies the event and the purpose of the event.

Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fulness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

What happens when our observances of the birth of Christ becomes larger than the actual event of His birth?

One thing that can happen is that people are much more aware of the observances and much more captivated by them than they are aware of and captivated by the event. In short, the observance becomes larger than the event.

Another thing that can happen and certainly has happened in relationship to Christmas is the exploitation and commercialization of the event. It is obvious to me that Christmas has been more and more commercialize. Someone may be thinking, "Preacher, you are a real wet blanket! What's your problem, you don't want people to earn a living or own a business!" I am not against people spending money on Christmas, earning a living or operating a business. I simply do not want the event of Christmas to be swallowed up in greedy commercialism.

I repeat the original question, is Christmas an observance or is it an event? Hopefully, from what you have read so far, you know that I believe it is an event. Unlike our Christmas observance which has been repeated for many centuries, the Christmas event that we celebrate happened at a point in time orchestrated by God as Galatians 4:4 states. In the fulness of time, literally at a precise moment according to the will and plan of God, Jesus was born. The event took place, a one-time event never to be repeated.

The one time event, never to be repeated birth of Christ, must not be overlooked. It must register in our minds and hearts.

The birth of Jesus was a signature event which should be viewed as an intregal part of God's reconciling work which is stated and summarized in 2 Corinthians 5:18,19. "Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation."

The work of reconciliation is on-going and unfinished. Every professing Christian bears a responsibility to make sure it continues through our ministry and witness. The birth of Christ is a finalized, completed event and we must never confuse it with the observances that we propagate each year.

Aren't you glad that the event of the birth of Christ is complete and there will never be a need for another Savior to be born!

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. and behold, an anglel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. and this will be a sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:8-14)

The event of the birth of Christ is a glorious event that can be disputed but never disproved or erased from history. There is another glorious miracle that can accompany our observance of the birth of Christ. It is the miracle that Paul wrote about in Galatians 4:19 when he wrote, "My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you."

How do we understand this verse of scripture? What did Paul mean when he wrote these words? We know that travail and pain are associated with child birth. It's referred to as "going into labor." Paul was willing to "labor" as a woman might labor in giving birth to a child if that labor would lead to a person receiving Christ into his heart. Christ is formed in us through a spiritual birth. This was the message Jesus gave to Nicodemus in John 3:3, "Jesus answered and said to him, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'" When a person receives Christ as personal Savior, that person is born again. Christ is literally formed in that person. Many times Paul use the phrase "Christ in you."

How wonderful it will be if during our 2023 observance of the birth of Christ, Christ is formed in the hearts and lives of many people!

There is one other thing that needs to be said in relationship to the event of the birth of Christ. His birth was a one-time never to be repeated event. So Jesus will never be born as a little baby again.

Though Jesus will not be born as a little baby again, there is a future event associated with Jesus. Like his physical birth, it will be a one-time never to be repeated event. This blessed one-time future event is His second coming.

Jesus came as a little baby the first time in the blessed Christmas event; He will come again in a one-time event as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

In His coming as a little baby, He came to bring salvation to mankind. In His second coming, He will consummate history and time as we know it. He will usher in eternity. WHAT A BLESSED EVENT! EVEN SO, COME LORD JESUS!

Merry Christian and Happy New Year to all. I pray that you will enjoy your observance of Christmas. Please make sure that you don't allow the observance to become more important to you than the event.