Skipping Christmas

Here’s a radical idea: what if, right after Thanksgiving Day, we just went back to life as usual and skipped Christmas all together?

 

I know that’s a pretty radical notion, and it may not even set well with you. But, it is something to think about. There’s a called Christmas with the Kranks that floats this idea.

 

The movie was first called called Skipping Christmas, and it considers the notion of skipping Christmas. Tim Allen plays Luther Krank, a man who is furious that the family spent $6,000 on Christmas the year before – and has nothing to show for it. So, since their daughter is gone with the Peace Corp, he and his wife decide they are going to skip Christmas and do something else.

 

The whole story is about how the neighbors react to their choice of action. The neighbor who coordinates the neighborhood’s Christmas lights becomes upset because the Kranks are not participating. Their daughter comes home for a surprise visit, only to find that the holidays are not being celebrated as usual.  And so on.

 

This movie, at least what I know of the story, asks the question, “What really matters during the holidays?�

 

Research has shown that the days between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day are among the most stressful of the year for everyone. Yet, year after year, so many of us get swept up with what one writer has called the “holly-jolly-jingle-bell-rock-Rudolph-and-Frosty-shop-till-you-drop� season.

 

On a sad, yet humorous note, an article in Harper’s Magazine notes that the highest-rated television program in New York City on Christmas morning, 2002, was a continuous video loop of a burning Yule log.

 

What really matters? What are the limits? How many parties, concerts, festivals, or banquets is enough?  How many lights for your house are the right amount? at what point do we go from anticipation to being “Christmased out?â€?

 

 It’s so easy to miss what Christmas is really all about.

 

God communicated to Jeremiah that he was very upset over the loss of all of the good shepherds. King Jehoiakim, who lived 600 years before Christ came, was a particularly bad example of bad shepherding. 2 Kings 23:35 notes that the Pharaoh of Egypt had demanded that Judah pay a hundred talents of silver and gold, and that Jehoiakim raised the money by taxing the people. He also used some of the money for his own personal pleasure.

 

It was because of this man and others that caused God to say, "I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number.  I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the

LORD.�

 

God will place his people under a new generation of kings who will be good shepherds – shepherds who are good, wise, and fair in their dealings. Then, God will raise up a righteous branch of David – that means, a descendant of David – who will execute justice and righteousness in the land.  In other words, our Lord Jesus Christ, “the Lord our righteousness.â€?

 

That’s something we don’t see in Christmas cards or decorations; the name of righteousness doesn’t often come up in our caroling. And maybe that’s the reason behind why so many people are skipping past the true meaning of Christmas.

 

Jesus is not like Frosty the Snowman. Well, he might show up and surprise us, but He is not someone who laughs and plays, but melts away when things get too hot!

 

Jesus is not Santa Claus, either. He does know who’s been naughty and who’s been nice… but his character is not built on saying “ho-ho-ho� and bringing expensive gifts down a chimney.

 

Who is Jesus? He’s a SHEPHERD. What’s a shepherd? Someone who pays more attention to the lost sheep than the ones who are safely at home.  His joy comes from seeing one sinner turn his or her life around, not from watching people exchange gifts.  This is why He is, as Jeremiah said, “the Lord our Righteousness.â€?

 

It’s ok to have a wonderful and enjoyable time during the holidays, but let’s not forget who Jesus is and why He came: to make a connection between God and the people, and help people see that any righteousness they have comes from God.

 

That’s why Jesus shakes so many people up – so many folks believe that they were born on third base, and somebody just hit a triple for them. So many people make the assumption that doing well is the same thing as doing good.

 

It is only God who makes us righteous; it is only through Jesus Christ that we become just, honorable, and free from guilt. The life, death, and resurrection Jesus Christ is the gift from God that makes it so!

 

Only the Lord is our righteousness. Righteousness does not come from our nationality, or our political party, our social class, the color of our skin, our denomination, or the school we went to. The true meaning of Christmas comes from the connection between righteousness and Jesus. And that, friends, is way too good to skip!

 

So what does Jesus bring us for Christmas?  Wonderful gifts from God: forgiveness, new life, and new righteousness.  Jesus brings a state of grace that restores our relationship with God.

 

But, as the commercial says, “WAIT! There’s MORE!â€?  Christmas is not about how we found religion – it’s about how, no matter how far we’d fallen, God came and found us.

 

Righteous living comes from a living relationship with God.  Not only do we live in harmony with God, we also live in TRUE harmony with our neighbors in this world. We enjoy this world that God has placed under our care, while taking care of this world. We find ways to solve conflict without resorting to violence on the first try. We always remember that God has a special place in His heart for the poor and powerless. We find inner harmony by obeying God’s commandments.

 

When you live in a righteous manner, you find that social justice goes hand in hand with personal peace.

 

Jeremiah teaches that you cannot be a good shepherd and abuse the sheep; that you cannot be a good ruler and abuse your power. Jesus taught the same thing.

 

Now that I’ve said all of that stuff, let me say this: go ahead, put up your Christmas lights; Frosty can stand on your lawn, and if there’s reindeer in your yard, that’s fine.

 

Just don’t forget to keep your attention on Jesus in this coming Christmas season – the one who shows us that the Lord is our righteousness. 

 

Because if you skip that part, you are indeed skipping Christmas.

 

Sources consulted:

            “Skipping Christmas,â€? Homiletics, November 2004.

            Dearman, J. Andrew; Jeremiah/Lamentations (Zondervan, 2002), 214-223.