A very selfish ten-year-old boy wrote a letter to Santa, listing all the toys and gadgets he wanted for Christmas. When she saw the letter, his mom made him sit down next to the family nativity set. She said, “I want you to look at this nativity set and think about what Christmas is really about. Then I want you to write a letter to Jesus.”
The boy sat and thought for awhile and then wrote: “Dear Jesus, if you bring me all the presents I want, I promise to be good for a whole year.” Unsatisfied, he quickly threw it in the garbage can. He stared at the nativity set for a few moments and then gently picked up the figure of Mary. He quickly took it to his bedroom, placed it in a shoe box, and put the box under his bed. He then took a piece of paper and wrote, “Dear Jesus, if you want to see your mother again, bring me all the presents I want.”
Folks, though we may be amused by that boy’s creativity, it is sad to think of someone being so dominated by selfish desires that he misses the entire meaning of Christmas. However, it is not just greedy ten-year-olds who can fall into this trap. This story also reminds us that we can know all about Christmas, the “real Christmas,” and still miss the significance. It is possible to stare at a nativity set, know all the facts about Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, angels, shepherds, and wisemen, and still miss the meaning and significance.
This happens when we view Christmas as merely an historical event. Oh yes, Jesus’ birth really happened about 2024 years ago. If you had lived near the village of Bethlehem at that time, you could have gone and seen the baby Jesus, just as the shepherds and wiseman did. However, knowing what happened is just the beginning. The why-it-happened is even more important. The Apostle John explains the significance this way, “And the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) This is a description of the incarnation, of God taking on flesh, becoming human in the person of Jesus. I believe Billy Graham was correct when he told President Nixon (after Nixon had declared the 1969 moon landing “the greatest event in history”), “The greatest event in human history was not when man went to the moon, but when God came to earth that first Christmas.” If looking at a manger scene and thinking about its meaning does not inspire awe in your mind and heart, you likely do not understand what actually happened that night.
Perhaps even more important than the fact of the incarnation is the reason behind it. C.S. Lewis said, “The Son of God became man, so men might become the sons of God.” That is the reason Jesus was born. He lived in perfect obedience to the Father and then died on the cross as a sacrifice for sin. His resurrection from the dead made it clear that the Father accepted this sacrifice as sufficient payment for our sins. This means eternal salvation is experienced by all those who turn to Jesus Christ and place their trust in Him. Thus, if you write a letter to Jesus while pondering a nativity set, it should probably just say, “thank you.” That is what Christmas is really about.
The boy sat and thought for awhile and then wrote: “Dear Jesus, if you bring me all the presents I want, I promise to be good for a whole year.” Unsatisfied, he quickly threw it in the garbage can. He stared at the nativity set for a few moments and then gently picked up the figure of Mary. He quickly took it to his bedroom, placed it in a shoe box, and put the box under his bed. He then took a piece of paper and wrote, “Dear Jesus, if you want to see your mother again, bring me all the presents I want.”
Folks, though we may be amused by that boy’s creativity, it is sad to think of someone being so dominated by selfish desires that he misses the entire meaning of Christmas. However, it is not just greedy ten-year-olds who can fall into this trap. This story also reminds us that we can know all about Christmas, the “real Christmas,” and still miss the significance. It is possible to stare at a nativity set, know all the facts about Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, angels, shepherds, and wisemen, and still miss the meaning and significance.
This happens when we view Christmas as merely an historical event. Oh yes, Jesus’ birth really happened about 2024 years ago. If you had lived near the village of Bethlehem at that time, you could have gone and seen the baby Jesus, just as the shepherds and wiseman did. However, knowing what happened is just the beginning. The why-it-happened is even more important. The Apostle John explains the significance this way, “And the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) This is a description of the incarnation, of God taking on flesh, becoming human in the person of Jesus. I believe Billy Graham was correct when he told President Nixon (after Nixon had declared the 1969 moon landing “the greatest event in history”), “The greatest event in human history was not when man went to the moon, but when God came to earth that first Christmas.” If looking at a manger scene and thinking about its meaning does not inspire awe in your mind and heart, you likely do not understand what actually happened that night.
Perhaps even more important than the fact of the incarnation is the reason behind it. C.S. Lewis said, “The Son of God became man, so men might become the sons of God.” That is the reason Jesus was born. He lived in perfect obedience to the Father and then died on the cross as a sacrifice for sin. His resurrection from the dead made it clear that the Father accepted this sacrifice as sufficient payment for our sins. This means eternal salvation is experienced by all those who turn to Jesus Christ and place their trust in Him. Thus, if you write a letter to Jesus while pondering a nativity set, it should probably just say, “thank you.” That is what Christmas is really about.
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