Christmas
I was recently asked to share at church about how we celebrate Christmas in South Africa. For one, it is summer there in December and therefore very hot. In more recent years, the people often would do a “braai” (a cook-out type of event) as part of their Christmas celebrations.
In South Africa, we do not have Christmas tree farms. Evergreens such as pines or spruces are very, very scarce. A few people might have artificial Christmas trees that they put up in their homes. Growing up, in our home there never was a tree and also no decorations of any kind in or on the house. We only read about Christmas stockings in books.
For us, the true meaning of Christmas was centered only around the Good News of the birth of Jesus – it was the theme of preaching during advent and on Christmas day there was always a church service early Christmas morning.
On Christmas Eve, my dad would read the story of Jesus’ birth and we would eat some special tart—not pies—or cake and have some family fun. A fruit cake, which we called a Christmas cake, was always there – baked at least a month prior to ripen. Food was very important, but it varied!
Somewhere during the night my dad would bring some presents and put them in a pillow case at the foot of our beds, but we knew they were not from Father Christmas. They were normally something we needed like a personal suitcase or a book and at the most two gifts: one from each parent. In later years we did exchange gifts on Christmas Eve.
After church on Christmas Day, we would have a special meal – sometimes turkey or a leg of lamb. My Mom was a good cook and she always tried to do something special. My childhood Christmases seem very different from what we have here in the U.S. In later years in South Africa, Christmas celebrations became more commercialized.
So, why do we celebrate Christmas?
“For us, the true meaning of Christmas was centered only around the Good News of the birth of Jesus”
Scholars talk about the Principle of “First mention.” When something is mentioned for the first time in Scripture, that is the way to understand it. One of many examples is the first time disobedience to God’s clear instructions is found. Genesis 3:6 says, “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.” The writer of the epistle agrees in 1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” The New Living Translation puts it this way, “For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.” Look carefully at all the instances of sin and you will see these three aspects clearly.
In Gen 3:15 we find God’s reaction to this sin-deed: here He declares this punishment upon Satan: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” The word used for “bruise” here can also be translated “to crush.” Some translations state it this way, “He will crush your head as you crush his heel. ” This verse in Genesis is called the Proto-Evangelium – God’s first announcement of a Savior to be born – the Gospel as we know it today. We have the promise of Jesus who was to come and He would be wounded by the snake represented by the sin of the world, and eventually Jesus would bring a death blow to Satan by the power of the cross and His resurrection.
Jesus is the SEED of the woman for there was no human father to conceive Him. We are the offspring of Jesus once we believe in His sacrifice and by faith become His children. The seed of the serpent and his offspring are represented by Satan and the persecutors of Christ and Christ’s children.
Today, as through all time since Jesus was born on earth, the “seed” or followers of Jesus, are being hurt, struck and crushed by the “seed” of Satan, yet we have the promise of the final, fatal blow which they will receive by the hand of the Lord. Paul talks about it in Romans 16:20. He states, “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.” Revelation 20:10 frames it this way, “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
If it was not for the sin with which Satan tempted Eve—the lust of eyes and flesh and the pride or desire to have what was not to be hers to have—the cross would not have been necessary. There would not have been a cross to which our sins would have been nailed.
So what do we celebrate at Christmas? Yes, a baby born who would grow up to bring hope, peace, joy and love. But, above all else, we celebrate one who was sent to once-for-all crush the head of Satan and allow us as the children of Christ to be free from all temptation and sin. The joy of it all is that we can rest in His promises while here on earth and live in the secure knowledge that we have eternal life while we wait for the Kingdom of God to arrive on the new earth.
The purpose of the Lord’s coming is found in Matthew 18:11, “Jesus Himself proclaimed: For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.” Christmas is not for us to eat all the nice goodies, or for spending lots of money on gifts, or even to have fun with family and friends – but to participate with our Lord to share the message that He came to save those who are lost. Christmas is so we can have an eternal purpose in life: to bring others into the fellowship of Believers, to make disciples, to grow new disciples so they can make disciples too. May the sharing of this news be the greatest gift we can give to another!
Author - Lida Gous