Lord of Christmas and Everything Else

Christ is the Lord of Christmas.

While this may appear to be a fairly innocuous and an uncontroversial statement, it is a statement the needs to be repeated.  We are so easily distracted.  You’ve seen the reminders, “Jesus is the reason for the season!” or “Keep Christ in Christmas!” Both are very true; however, I think we need to go deeper.  The holiday is meant as an annual reminder to us that God has dwelt among men. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us, who saves His people from their sin (see Matthew chapter 1).  If you are not giving thought to Christ at Christmas you are missing the whole point.  From God’s first promise of a Savior in Genesis 3 and then for four thousand years, all humanity waited.   People waited for that seed of the woman who would defeat the serpent (Gen. 3:15), they waited for that seed of Abraham through whom all the world would be blessed (Gen. 18:18, 22:18),  they waited for that son of David who would establish an everlasting kingdom of righteousness (2 Sam. 7:16 & Is. 9:6-7). They waited and waited until the Messiah appeared. Can you imagine the  overwhelming explosive emotions after hearing the news of the new born King and Messiah? Try to picture the scene in your minds eye…

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is 

Christ the Lord.

And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and 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 among those with whom he is pleased!”

We read in the gospel of Matthew, chapter four:

Jesus, himself, is the greatest gift. That is worth celebrating!

Joy to the world! The Lord has come; let earth receive her King!

The prophet Isaiah foretold that the Christ child would be born to be Lord (Isaiah chapter 9):

“…For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end…”

Jesus confirmed it during the days of His ministry, He proved it by displays of signs and wonders, and declared it in His marching orders to his disciples (Matthew 28):

And Jesus came and said to them, 

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…”

This is the Christ of Christmas.  The humble and lowly child in a manger was born to accomplish an epic conquest over evil, corruption, and death itself. He accomplished it and is now the Lord over all things in heaven and earth.  That is the truth.   It is not “a truth” or “my truth.”  It is the objective state of reality.  We don’t have to make Him Lord, He already is.

So, on Christmas Day and every other day we face the question, “Will I submit to this good and gracious Lord?” I hope you know this Lord! Merry Christmas!