Ready or not, the calendar year is quickly coming to an end. This means it's time to once again celebrate two holidays that many of us consider very significant - Christmas and New Year. This week we focus on the annual celebration of Christmas. Next week we'll look at what the start of a new year might mean.
For many businesses, what celebrates Christmas is not that it is a religious holiday. Often this is the determining factor in whether a financial year can be considered successful or not. Retail sales usually increase, not only due to the purchase of Christmas gifts, but also any goods that are somehow related to the holidays. Christmas season income has a lot to do with whether a company's bottom line will look black or red; Is it possible to accrue bonuses based on the results of the year; and whether the business expects growth or budget cuts at the start of the new year.
For many of us, Christmas also means a lot of personal worries: what gifts should we buy (and for whom); what celebrations and other special events to attend; gathering with family and friends for a holiday meal, and what charitable donations to make during the “season of giving.” And these are just a few of them.
These are all valid concerns. However, for followers of Jesus Christ, nothing is more important than taking time to recognize and celebrate “the real reason for this season” – the birth of Jesus, the Son of God. Or as Matthew 1:23 tells us, “Immanuel, which means, “God with us.” Without Jesus Christ there would be no need for Christmas. The Scriptures make this clear.
God took on human form. In Jesus Christ we see that the Creator is actively involved in the history of the world that He created. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. It was in the beginning with God. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:1-3).
Jesus came to dispel the darkness. Our world seems to be becoming increasingly darker, with evil manifesting itself in many forms. The 21st century market is no exception. One of the reasons Jesus came to earth was to drive out darkness, to show people the way from darkness and despair to light and hope. “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:4-5). “Jesus spoke again to the people and said to them: I am the light of the world; Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
Jesus came to pay the price we could not pay. The Bible teaches that the penalty for our sinfulness, our willful rebellion against God, is a higher price than anything we could ever pay. So, in His mercy and grace, Jesus went to the cross to pay this price for us. “But God demonstrates His love toward us in this, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus came to offer us new life. We justify our human shortcomings by saying, “I’m only human.” Jesus, who not only died but also rose from the dead, offers us new spiritual life by freeing us from what the Bible calls the bondage of sin. “For what He died, He died once for sin; and what he lives, he lives for God. Likewise, count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:10-11).
© 2023. Robert J. Tamasi wrote Market Ambassadors: The Continuing Legacy of CBMC Evangelism and Discipleship; Business at its Best: Timeless Proverbial Wisdom for Today's Workplace; Finding Life with a Shepherd's Heart, co-authored with Ken Johnson; and The Heart of Mentoring, co-authored with David A. Stoddard. Bob's bi-weekly blog: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.
Questions for reflection/discussion
NOTE. If you have a Bible and want to read more, consider the following passages: Luke 1:26–38, 2:1–20; Romans 3:23, 6:1-4,23; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20.
Difficult task
It's easy to get caught up in the festive spirit of Christmas and the many celebrations this season. But it is important to take time to reflect on its true meaning - Jesus Christ, His life and mission that changes this world. Plan to set aside some time over the next few days to discuss this issue with family members or a close friend. Think: how would the world be different if Christ had never come?
