What really is Christmas?

This is a serious question. Everywhere, from all over the world, people are celebrating Christmas. Christians are celebrating, non-Christians are celebrating and even Christians, who deny that they are Christians, are celebrating Christmas. Of course the non-Christians are celebrating Christmas without even understanding what it is celebrated for. But why is a Christian who denies Christ is celebrating Christmas? Is it for fun-sake? Wonderful!

In Bangalore, in the colony where I live, my non-Christian colleagues and their families and children are celebrating Christmas today in the club. Christmas tree is decorated, presents are kept under the tree and distributed to the children by someone dressed as Santa and a few carol songs are sung and games are played and there is great rejoicing and wishing Merry Christmas to everyone present.

Is that Christmas? Do they even understand what Christmas stands for? None of them believe in Christ, that he came to save the world from sin or to give them eternal life or that it is the salvation plan of God the Father for human kind. They will get offended if such a message is given, saying that we are narrow minded people, restricting Christmas celebrations only to the Christians. They may even feel superior saying how Hinduism is so inclusive that they are enthusiastically celebrating Christmas, a festival of Christians, whereas Christians are exclusive and narrow-minded.

What is Christmas without Christ? Can there be a message of peace and hope and joy, if you have excluded Christ and are just observing a festival of exchanging presents or having a party and having a good time? That is definitely not Christmas.  

Christmas is the time when we remember that a child was given to us, so that we can be saved from our sins. The child was born of Virgin Mary, with the power of God and so when the child grew up to become a man, he was without sin. So he could offer himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the human beings. That was a great sacrifice because he was faultless and blameless and still people killed him out of spite.

Christmas is the time we thankfully remember that God came down to earth in human form, so that he can stand in the place of human beings, being tempted and put to suffering as a human being, yet remain without sin, giving us a model to live on. It is a time to remember what it cost God to come to earth, suffer and die so that we could live.

It is also a time to remember that fact that God raised Jesus three days after he died, when they crucified him. That gave human beings a hope that we will also be raised after we die and live with Christ forever. Death is not everything. It is not the end of everything. Nor do we have to fear death, being uncertain, as to what happens after death, where do we go? Jesus’ resurrection proved beyond doubt that he lives and we will also live in eternity.

God loved the world so much that he sent his only Son Jesus Christ, so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. That is the whole point of Christmas, the birth of Jesus that we may have eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ. It is the way of reconciliation with God and to live eternally with God and Christ.

When we don’t believe a word of this great provision for the salvation of human kind, what is the point of simply celebrating just to have a good time and wishing each other Merry Christmas? It is so shallow and a mere lifeless chatter. We miss the significance of Christmas when we superficially celebrate it thus.

I hope one day people will recognize the significance of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and have real peace, enduring joy and happiness. I wish that day will come soon, may be at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Come early Lord.