Focusing on the Wrong Presents
“How to Lose Christmas During Advent” has been our general theme during midweek Advent services. Two Wednesdays ago, the theme was, “Pursuing the Wrong Peace.” Last Wednesday it was, “Focusing on the Wrong Spirit.” Tonight, it is “Focusing on the Wrong Presents.”
We have to start out with a disclaimer: there is nothing wrong with Christmas gifts received or given during Christmas. They are or can be a legitimate joy on December 24th and 25th. In fact, to give and to receive is how God created us.
When I was young, I would pour through the Sears Christmas Catalogue. I could spend hours doing so. Today however catalogues by the thousands are accessed by cell phones, laptops, pods, pads, tablets. And what this means is it might be easier to become obsessed with getting presents and the love of things. Greed and coveting are a reality of the human heart that need little encouragement. And we do not have to search too deeply to find them within our own hearts. It’s obvious that when this happens, Christmas can be lost. As mentioned last week, greed is harshly criticized in A Christmas Carole by Charles Dickens and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss, and rightly so.
But simply receiving gifts is not wrong; finding joy in receiving them is not wrong. But whether receiving is done greedily or without greed, Christmas can be lost when the focus is on receiving.
At the same time everyone recognizes that the giving of presents brings joy, even a greater joy than receiving. I have really fun pictures from last year of some of my grandsons so excited as they opened their gifts on Christmas Eve in the parsonage. It was a joy for me. And the same thing will happen this year. Parents, grandparents, family, and friends find real joy in giving, and rightly so.
We have excellent examples in the Bible of giving. We have the example of the wise men who gave gifts to the holy family so they could support themselves when Joseph, Mary, and Jesus had to flee to Egypt. The wise men no doubt had great joy in this giving. We have the examples of the widow’s gift in Luke 21, of Cornelius’ large gifts in Acts 10, of Gentile churches giving to poor Christians in Jerusalem, and of the Philippian congregation giving gifts to Paul in prison (Phil. 4).
I mentioned last Sunday that the reason God has put us in our various vocations is so we may give, especially to help others in need. Doing God’s will brings joy. Giving brings joy.
But just as Christmas can be lost by focusing on us receiving presents from others, so also Christmas can be lost when the focus is on us giving presents to others.
Our culture has forgotten something. It has forgotten who defines Christmas and what it is all about. When God defines Christmas, the focus is not on us giving or us receiving gifts from friends or family. Again, listen to our texts:
“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given” (Is. 9:6). “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law.” (Gal. 4:4-5). “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” (John 3:16). Unto us is given. God sent. God gave.
I made a gift for one of my daughters for this Christmas. Making it has brought me joy. Giving it to her will bring me further joy. And, I will be receiving a Christmas gift from my future son-in-law in a few days. That gift will also probably bring me joy (if it does not, his engagement to my daughter might be challenged!). Giving and receiving by us and to us are good.
But here’s the point: Christmas goes beyond this. It is deeply religious. The world, as it celebrates Christmas, hardly recognizes this deep religious nature. It reminds me of a story communicated to C.S. Lewis by his brother. Lewis wrote, “My brother heard a woman on a bus say, as the bus passed a church with a Crib [manger] outside it, ‘Oh Lor’! They bring religion into everything. Look they’re dragging it even into Christmas now!'”
For us Christians, Christmas is a religious holy day. It is right up there with Good Friday and Easter in their focus on Christ. And necessarily so. If you have had any sin in your life today or yesterday or this last week, any gift you receive from another a human being or any gift you give to another human being will not help you with your sin, let alone your eternal destination. For your sin and eternal life you need what only God can supply, what he alone has given and sent. You need God’s Son. You need the reality and to believe in the reality that he was born for you, that he lived for you, that he died for you, that he rose from the dead for you, that he even now is with you and watching over you, and that he is coming back in the flesh for you. This is what Christmas is pointing to. This is the focus of Christmas.
So then, please enjoy the receiving and giving gifts to others as you enter soon into Christmas. It’s great and fun and joyful. But hold dearly to the real focus of Christmas. The real focus is the gift of Christ. As we will now sing,
Jesus comes to hearts rejoicing,
Bringing news of sins forgiv’n;
Jesus comes in sounds of gladness,
Leading souls redeemed to heav’n.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Now the gate of death is riv’n.Jesus comes in joy and sorrow,
(ELH, 89:3-4)
Shares alike our hopes and fears;
Jesus comes, whate’er befalls us,
Glads our hearts, and dries our tears;
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Cheering e’en our failing years.
Amen.
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