Focusing on the Wrong Christmas Spirit
Philippians 2
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow—
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth—
11 and every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Matthew 2
10 When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him.
Our overall theme for these three midweek Advent services is “How to Lose Christmas During Advent.” Last week the sermon was, “Pursuing the Wrong Peace.” Tonight the theme is, “Focusing on the Wrong Christmas Spirit.”
There are many things that get in the way of the true Christmas spirit. Materialism, selfishness, and covetousness are found everywhere during this Advent season, as if they are inseparable from the Christmas spirit.
Commercialism and greed – businesses making money and doing so using all kinds of Christmas symbols and words, including the word “Christmas.” Even Santa Claus, who is usually considered a great guy just wanting to make children happy by bringing them presents, is being exploited in TV commercials and department stores by appealing to our children’s and grandchildren’s – and our – selfish and covetous nature. It’s about getting.
But there’s always pushback. In other words, there are always attempts in every generation where people say, “No, that is not the real Christmas spirit! That is not what Christmas is all about!”
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is a classic example. Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly, self-centered, greedy materialistic old man whose god is money is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. They show him how greed, selfishness, and hoarding money are contrary to the Christmas spirit. In the end he becomes convinced and goes from the love of money and hoarding to the love of the less fortunate and giving. He goes from being a very sad and lonely man to being a very happy and joyful man.
So, does A Christmas Carol correctly explain and advocate for the true Christmas spirit? Did Charles Dickens get it right?
Another great example of redirecting one to this sort of Christmas spirit is The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. The Grinch despises the Whos of Whoville who are about to celebrate Christmas. The Grinch is determined to destroy their merry Christmas spirit by taking all their material possessions in one night: their presents, their trees, their food. But the next morning to his chagrin they are nevertheless found to be celebrating Christmas joyously without all those things. And then, as he hears them sing a change comes over him, and he says, “Maybe, Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store, maybe Christmas, he thought, means a little bit more.”
Dr. Seuss got that right, didn’t he? It does mean a little bit more. But what is the Christmas spirit according to this story by Dr. Seuss? Here’s a typical interpretation of the story: “Dr. Seuss subtly exposes greed and commercialism and promotes the values of love and community with wit, humor, and flawlessly constructed rhymes.” “In my opinion, Seuss’ message to all of us is that Christmas isn’t about any of these things. Instead, Christmas is about spending time with those that you truly love and care for.”
Both Dr. Seuss and Charles Dickens are saying essentially the same thing: that Christmas is not about selfishness and getting, but about selflessness and giving. It’s about being kind, compassionate, especially toward the less fortunate, and spending time with those you love and care for.
This is the most common and popular understanding of the Christmas spirit. But is this the true Christmas spirit?
Even if it is not, there are a couple of things this spirit does that are commendable. For one thing, it has resulted in all kinds of group and personal charitable projects: presents for the children whose parents are in prison, food and clothing drives, sponsoring orphans, unexpected and anonymous gifts. All these are important and God-pleasing. And we, as Christians, should engage in these not only during this month and season, but throughout the year.
Second, these stories reveal a reality about the human heart. It shows that the human heart can be extremely self-centered, greedy, covetous, and unloving. What is interesting is that Dr. Seuss claimed he himself was the inspiration for the Grinch. He saw the Grinch within himself, and he did not like it, so he wrote the story.
We get calls at the church from people looking for financial assistance who have no connection to us whatsoever, or any church for that matter. Regardless of whether they are in sincere need for assistance from someone (for undoubtedly there are some who are stealing, lazy, or just stuck in an addiction of begging), the Grinch- and Scrooge-attitude can easily crop up: “Even if you are a case of legitimate need, I don’t want sacrifice my time and money to help you. Isn’t there someplace else you can go?” Even on those occasions where I do help them, I can often see the Scrooge-temperament within my heart.
But the question still remains: is love toward others and giving to others the essence of the Christmas spirit? And the answer is, no.
So, what is Christmas the spirit all about?
To that we go to a third story where we see one who got it right: A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Linus. Charlie Brown goes out and gets a scrawny, humble Christmas tree for the school Christmas program. His friends wanted him to get an expensive, glittery, artificial tree – for that represents for them what Christmas is all about. And when he brings in the scrawny tree, they scorn him, make fun of him, call him dumb, laugh at him.
Confused and humiliated Charlie Brown says, “I guess I don’t know what Christmas is all about. Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about? And then Linus says to him, “Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.” And then without commentary he recites Luke 2: “And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were sore afraid … And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all my people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ, the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, and good will toward men.'” And Linus says, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
And then at the end of the story, so there is no doubt what Linus means, all the children gather around the small little scrawny, humble tree that they have now beautifully decorated and sing the first stanza of “Hark, the Herald Angels, Sing”
(Hymn 125 ELH)
1 Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new-born King!
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim.
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new-born King!”
If we want to know what a Christmas spirit is all about, we simply do what Linus did: We go to the original and true Christmas story in the Word of God. We let it speak for itself. And then the next best place to go to for the true meaning of Christmas are those magnificent Christmas hymns based on the original Christmas that accurately explain what Christmas is all about.
The Christmas spirit is not about getting presents (though we may do so). The Christmas spirit is not even first and foremost about us being kind, compassionate, selfless, and giving (though we are to do so now and every day of our lives, for we are followers of Christ). A true Christmas spirit is about gathering around and bowing down before a small, scrawny, humble baby, for that child is the Christ born in Bethlehem, the everlasting King, the incarnate Deity, going from the manger to the cross so that God and sinners would be reconciled.
We can get a Christmas tree, decorate the house, receive and give presents, enjoy Santa Claus, gather with family, sing secular Christmas songs, eat lots of cookies, watch a football game, and do many charitable deeds during this season. But in the heart and mind of the Christian, all these are to take a back seat to the real message of Christmas: bowing before the one through whom God and sinners are reconciled, the new-born King. He came, and is coming again, to reward those who have bowed before him in faith.
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