God With Us

God With Us

With every passing year Christmas seems to become more and more commercialized—every year Santa Claus, Christmas decorations, social engagements, and the daunting task of finding just the right gifts for our loved ones can easily overshadow the main reason, we as Christians have come to celebrate Christmas. We desperately try to express our love for each other by rushing out to Wal-Mart or logging onto Amazon and exchanging our money for some gift that will more than likely be returned or sit on a shelf unused. But 2,000 years ago, Jesus showed His love for us by doing much more than that. Jesus didn’t just reach down from His Throne in Glory; he came down. And He didn’t merely come down, but He actually laid down His Glory in heaven and became one of us! He subjected Himself to humiliation, persecution, betrayal and ultimately a cruel death, just so we might receive the gift of life... But sadly, even this gift is often times not appreciated or received—in fact, some people don’t even know that it exists.

The Christmas season brings with it an incredible opportunity to share with someone the good news that the greatest gift ever given has been delivered, and it’s inscribed with their name just waiting to be unwrapped! And that no matter their past or their present, the God who created them and knows them inside out loves them; He loves them so much in fact, that he gave Himself in order to save them. That’s what Christmas is all about.

But long ago, I realized, that during the Christmas season, a battle is being waged—a battle between materialism and spirituality. And it seems that for most of the world, materialism is winning over spirituality; receiving the things of this world is winning over receiving the precious gift of God. But no matter how hard the devil works to try and make this season about greed and self indulgence, there are always men and women of God working to lift up Christ.

Illustration: In 1965, Charles Schulz, a devout Christian and creator of the Peanuts comic strip, was asked to create a Christmas special for CBS featuring the Peanuts Characters. He agreed with one requirement, that they allow him to include the story of the birth of Jesus. Even back then, the station executives and producers didn't like that at all; and they tried their best to convince him that it wouldn’t be a good idea but Schulz stuck to his convictions and resolutely insisted. As a result, for almost 60 years, millions of people have watched “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and heard the story of Jesus and “what Christmas should be all about.” [ Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVp5AGte_4Q ] Pay close attention to what is said and what is done in this short clip... [ PLAY VIDEO]

Over the years, I must have seen this movie a dozen times. But I never noticed a subtle, yet powerful spiritual lesson that brother Linus demonstrates in his little sermon. You’ve probably noticed that throughout this special and in every comic strip as well, Linus NEVER let’s go of that blanket. As everyone knows, he has some serious insecurity issues and that blanket is his security blanket. It helps him feel safe in a dangerous and uncertain world. But if you noticed in the clip we just watched, as he was quoting the angel Gabriel, Linus actually dropped his blanket and put his hand on his heart when he came to this passage: Luke 2:10,11 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. [Illustration adapted from the story of Shultz and Charlie Brown Christmas I found on social media. Couldn’t locate the original sources]

In this quite deliberate scene Shultz was conveying a powerful message to everyone who would watch it. And that message is that we don’t have to rely on the things of this world to give us peace and security. As long as we accept the Gift of God in Jesus Christ, as long as He dwells in our hearts by faith, we have all we’ll ever need.

People may have tuned in to see a cute and funny Christmas movie, and they certainly saw one, but they also heard the best news ever given to fallen humanity! And that is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

1 John 4:9,10 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.