It’s Christ-mas!

Our family has been enjoying the new Disney+ series titled, The Santa Clauses; a sequel TV series to the three Santa Claus films with actor, Tim Allen. During the writing of this series, a bit of discord between Allen and the Disney writers surfaced.

Tim reported that the original scripts “had a lot of otherworldly characters, and ghosts, and goblins. I said, ‘No, this is Christ-mas. It’s Christ-mas. It literally is a religious holiday…We don’t have to blow trumpets, but I do want you to acknowledge it; that’s what this is about.”

TheWrap.com/The-Santa-Clauses-Christianity-Tim-Allen-Disney-Series

As a pastor, on one hand, I’m impressed that Tim Allen petitioned to highlight the Christ component of Christ-mas. On the other hand, following this statement as “a religious holiday” only skims the surface. Christmas would have never come to pass without Christ. I’m not stating this as an opportunity to start an argument or to push an ideological agenda.

I’m stating it as a historic fact, that…

“At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.’

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.’ When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.

After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.”

The Bible – Luke 2:1-21

This single event would launch the most important sequence of events for all human beings. This Christ-child would grow to become a perfect man, fully divine, sent to our world to be sacrificed on a cross for humanity’s sin. Then, the greatest miracle that had ever been or would ever be; Jesus Christ, who had predicted his own death and resurrection, pulled it off!

Three days later, He rose from the grave, conquering death, and removing the barrier of sin between fallen humanity and a Holy God, for all who would believe. This eventual outcome of Christ’s birth leads to the most important question for every man, woman, and child…

Do I believe?

This year, will your belief transcend nostalgic films and stories about Santa Claus and Christmas spirit? Will your belief cause a greater communion than parties with friends and family gatherings? Will your belief move past the Christ-mas, as a religious tradition or holiday?

Will your belief rest solely in Jesus as the Christ; as the One who first ignited why we started celebrating Christmas in the first place? Don’t let Christ’s mass pass this year without pausing for at least a moment, and asking, “Why am I celebrating and how is Jesus connected to it?”

If you’d like to know more, please join me on Christmas Eve at Mountainview.Church/Christmas. Alternatively, you can always give me a call or drop me a text at (867) 335-7524, or write me an email at jeremy@leadbiblically.com.

Merry Christ-Mas!
Jeremy Norton