Many Churches, One Lord: Christmas is not just one day
Merry Christmas. Yes, I know Dec. 25 has come and gone, but for the church, Christmas is not just one day. Christmas is a 12-day season beginning on Dec. 25 and ending on Jan. 5 with the next day celebrating Epiphany.
Christmas is so much more than a birthday celebration. Christmas is a time to focus on the jaw-dropping, mind-melting, and heart-changing reality that in Jesus, the Word of God “became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory…” as declared in John 1:14.
For Christmas, we sing the lyrics written by Charles Wesley: “Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King. Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!” The second verse of this Christmas carol says: “Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin’s womb.” That is, the Messiah is not simply a human anointed by God to serve God’s purpose. The Messiah is the everlasting Lord, always worshiped and honored in the heavens as the One who reigns for all time, past, present, and future, but who was revealed to humanity late in time.
The next line of this Christmas Carol says: “veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail the incarnate Deity, pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel.” That is, God took on flesh. When we look at Jesus, we see the Godhead. And we see that God did not dwell among us begrudgingly as if it was the last thing God wanted to do. God was pleased, happy, and actually wanted to take on human nature and dwell with us as Immanuel, which means God with us.
Through the coming year, and especially during this season, may we reflect on this amazing mystery of God becoming human to be with us. As we do, may we see the heart of God for us in Christ, who is pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel; full of grace and truth we see, God’s Love poured out for you and me. Merry Christmas.
Jeff Bergeson is the pastor at Unity Presbyterian Church
This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Christmas is not just one day
