How to give meaning to Christmas?

I remember walking several years ago on a road in California, USA and on the top of the hill, in very large letters, made of lights, it was written “Jesus is the reason for the season”, referring to Christmas. Why did people place such a message? It’s not hard to know. Many people have lost the meaning of this holiday even though they are celebrating it. I’ve had the opportunity to be in different countries on the eve the Nativity and I noticed that with almost the same passion it is celebrated in Muslim, Buddhist, communist countries, etc. I have seen great and beautiful Christmas ornaments in Vietnam, and in Nepal, and in Pakistan, and in Kazakhstan, everywhere. I was surprised to learn from a resident of Uzbekistan who told me that this year they were banned by the authorities to place a Christmas tree in public places or institutions, but people were still preparing to celebrate Christmas.

However, even in Christian countries few know the meaning of Christmas and what event is celebrated. Sometimes, when you watch on TV how people in the street are interviewed about the meaning of Christmas, you feel like crying. Some confuse it with Easter, others only know the occasion of having a feast. You can hear what you want, but less often the truth about this holiday, and we realize that we are part of a spiritually illiterate society.

In countries where once faith in God was their greatest value, and because they lived the faith and opened the doors and received all those who were persecuted into their countries, they have now come to be forbidden to write Christian Christmas messages in public places so as not to offend those of another religion they have harbored. Sad, very sad.

Glory be to the Lord for the religious freedom we still have in our country and because we can fearlessly tell everyone what the meaning of Christmas is and the whole message of the gospel, which is God’s power for the salvation of every man who believes in the Lord Jesus. May God give us the courage to proclaim this message now and to do so even when we are persecuted for it.

Jesus is the reason for Christmas

It is the duty of every true Christian to use such a beautiful occasion as Christmas to tell all people about the significance of the holiday, namely, that the Lord Jesus, who was in the beginning with God, who is God and through whom all things were made, two thousand years ago became flesh, became like men, being born of the Virgin Mary in the manger of Bethlehem. He came to save all sinners and each of us. He that believes in him is not dead: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And the judgment is that once the Light came into the world (this we celebrate at Christmas) people loved darkness more, because their deeds were evil. Let us tell everyone this important message and call them to the Light of God that can only be found in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s help our loved ones and all people benefit from this feast by hearing and receiving the gospel. Let’s give our best wishes and send to all our loved ones a postcard in which to write not only our wishes, but also an explanation of the significance of the Christmas holiday. Let’s not get into meaningless quarrels about the date when Christmas should be celebrated (old or new style) but rather, let’s use all these days, from December 25 to January 14 to visit our relatives, friends, to take them a Bible (if they don’t have one yet) and tell them about the Lord Jesus. Let us make meaningful, Christian gifts that will make those who receive them remember truths from the Holy Scriptures about the Lord Jesus – the Savior of the world. Let us lead people to a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus by being born again, without which no one will see or enter the Kingdom of God. And if the reader does not yet have such a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, let him hasten to enter into the New Covenant by faith and repentance so that he may have an inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven and not be a Christian only by name.

I send my greetings to you all on this holiday and wish you all the blessings that are in the Lord Jesus Christ. Have peace with God and with people, health and prosperity in all. Merry Christmas!

Translated by Didina Vicliuc