The Lost Message of Christmas

DateLine (12/21/05 – Green Pond, South Carolina)

Christmas is the mega blockbuster of holidays in our contemporary culture. All of the holiday’s icons are etched into our memory; presents under the Christmas trees, Nativity Scenes, homes adorned with Christmas lights, and a red-suited oversized elf with a white beard riding in an airborne sleigh pulled by flying reindeers. This is the season when wide-eyed children move trancelike through shopping malls having been encouraged to unleash their imaginations while compiling Christmas “wish-lists.” The deeper spiritual and charitable themes that under gird the Christmas season are well known and understood by a majority of Americans; the birth of the savior, symbolic exchange of gifts commemorating the gifts of the magi, and collections for the needy. But it’s not to these high profile elements of the season that I direct my comments but to the “Lost Message of Christmas; Servitude.”

A Jewish rabbi was busy about the routine of his duties in the house of worship. Jehovah God found favor in the sacrificial life of him and his wife Elizabeth and blessed them with a son who would lead the way for the Jewish savior. Zechariah had chosen servitude. “Zechariah, your prayer has been answered.” Luke 1:13

A teenage Israeli girl was caught in a conflict not of her making. Her Superior had asked of her a favor which was a tremendous honor that would end up benefiting untold millions but would be misconceived as a serious moral lapse on her part. Mary chose servitude. Mary said “I am the Lord’s servant, May it be to me as you have said.” Luke 1:38.

Joseph had just found out that his fiancée was pregnant and he knew that the baby was not his. Society at the time suggested that Joseph terminate the engagement and turn his future bride over to scorn, ridicule, and possibly death by vigilantes. Joseph chose servitude. “Joseph . . did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.” Matt. 1:24

Three famous academics temporarily gave up the comfortable confines of their privileged life when their God simultaneously compelled them to take an uncharted religious pilgrimage. They were guided by a strange star which appeared in the eastern sky with only the promise that something important lay at the end of their journey. Wise Men chose servitude. The Magi “saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” Matt. 2:2

Lucifer was once a mighty angel of Jehovah God. He chose to compete against God to attempt to gain equality. Angels played a role in the first Christmas. Lucifer demonstrates that angels do have choices. The Christmas Angels chose servitude. “The Angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Luke 2:10

A group of Israeli shepherds sacrificed time with family to spend the night in the cool fields surround Bethlehem making sure that nothing happened to the village sheep. It’s quite ironic that the Christmas Angel was directed to announce the arrival of a King, at the pinnacle of society, to shepherds, who existed as the dregs of society. God entrusted the lower cast to announce salvation to the world. Shepherds chose servitude. “They spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” Luke 2:8

God the Son who was a full participant in the creation of everything that we know on earth submitted himself to self-imposed constraints of humanness. The co-creator of the universe would be dependent on an uninitiated Israeli mother to attend to His bodily functions. He would not be able to speak for months until his physical development allowed. The Savior chose servitude. “The Word became flesh, and made his dwelling among us.” John 1:14.

A different decision by any of the participants from the first Christmas would have made our Christmas radically different. Wrong decisions by you and me have the same potential to radically affect our future. Will you chose servitude?