Looking for Jesus in Christmas

Recently, I went shopping for a Christmas decoration to place on our door.  I wanted something that would draw attention to the One whom the Christmas holidays are all about — Jesus! So I went to a specific store, “looking for Jesus in Christmas.”  

In the past, this store has carried a wide variety of Christmas decorations, many of them reflecting the true Christmas story.  When I got there, I found many things: elves, snowmen, reindeer, nutcrackers, trees, lights, napkins, plates, tablecloths, and much more. They all said something about Christmas. But they said nothing about Jesus.  As I looked, I remembered the plethora of gift and home decor items that had the slogan, “Jesus is the Reason for the Season,” in past years.  Something like that was what I was seeking.  But I saw nothing.  I was “looking for Jesus in Christmas” . . . and coming up empty.

Looking for Jesus?

Constantly, in a world of mass media, there is an effort by this world to divert our attention to a secular Christmas. We are exposed to Santa everywhere. The images of Santa dominate our retail outlets, TV shows, movies, and just about everywhere we look. In our highly materialistic world, advertisements use Santa to promote everything. Why? Because Santa sells!  He’s a figure so closely associated with Christmas.  And yet, he’s a figure that doesn’t exist—and never did exist. 

Holiday music includes a wide selection of Santa songs, and the songs about the true meaning of Christmas get less air-play every year.  Kids are frequently asked, “What is Santa bringing you for Christmas?”  All of this makes me wonder, are people teaching the truth about Christmas? Or are they only teaching about the fat man in a red suit with a long white beard and a jolly “ho, ho, ho,” who bring gifts to good little boys and girls?  What about the true Christmas story about the One who came to bring the greatest gift to bad people?  

Why do we so highly promote that which is not true—Santa, and neglect to put extreme importance on that which is true—Jesus, the Son of God? It’s no wonder that fewer and fewer people are “looking for Jesus in Christmas.”

What Am I To Do?

As a disciple of Jesus, how do I keep myself from being distracted, and how do I help others see Jesus in this special season?

As always, God gives us the answers in the Holy Scriptures. In the Bible, I find Jesus every day of the year and so wonderfully at Christmas time. And it’s in Bible that I read of the true meaning of Christmas: 

. . . an angel of the Lord appeared to . . . Joseph, son of David . . . saying . . . take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins . . . Then the angel said to them [the shepherds],  “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Matthew 1:20-21; Luke 2:10-11)

In years to come, it may be harder and harder to find Jesus in Christmas.  But be encouraged. For if we look for Jesus on the pages of the Bible, we will always find Him. And when we seek Him and heed His words, we can share the true meaning of Christmas with others.  We can tell of the hope and joy He offers to all through His redeeming grace.  And when we proclaim the good tidings of Christmas, people just might see Jesus in us!