Christmas is a Warzone
Introduction
A vast kingdom lay under a wicked curse for centuries. The true King had been forgotten, and darkness covered not only the land, but the hearts of people. Citizens droned through life, searching in vain for purpose and fulfillment; giving their affections and resources to lesser, false kings and vain pursuits. They were murderous, self-serving, and enslaved to the powers of darkness that cast the curse over this once glorious domain.
Into that darkness, a light dawned. Like a meteor crashing to the earth, all people and places were illuminated by it's arrival. The true King had come to reclaim what was rightfully his. He would be met with abundant opposition, but his steady victory was certain. He was the flame that would push back the veil of darkness, restoring purpose and glory to this drowsy and needy land. One by one, his enemies would fall. He did not come to negotiate. He came for war.
This might sound like a back-cover summary of a fantasy novel you picked up at a used bookstore; the kind with a worn dust jacket that says, "I've been read by countless eighth-grade boys," and with cover art that is reminiscent of the fantastic tales of old. Lewis and Tolkien would approve. The reason this story sounds familiar is because it is familiar. All great stories take their basic shape and best traits from the story God has written - the one being lived out before our very eyes. This is the story we are part of, and one of the climactic moments in the story is that holly-jolly season that makes places like Target and Wal-Mart so much money. This is about Christmas, but not Christmas as most would normally think about it. Christmas is a warzone.
Into that darkness, a light dawned. Like a meteor crashing to the earth, all people and places were illuminated by it's arrival. The true King had come to reclaim what was rightfully his. He would be met with abundant opposition, but his steady victory was certain. He was the flame that would push back the veil of darkness, restoring purpose and glory to this drowsy and needy land. One by one, his enemies would fall. He did not come to negotiate. He came for war.
This might sound like a back-cover summary of a fantasy novel you picked up at a used bookstore; the kind with a worn dust jacket that says, "I've been read by countless eighth-grade boys," and with cover art that is reminiscent of the fantastic tales of old. Lewis and Tolkien would approve. The reason this story sounds familiar is because it is familiar. All great stories take their basic shape and best traits from the story God has written - the one being lived out before our very eyes. This is the story we are part of, and one of the climactic moments in the story is that holly-jolly season that makes places like Target and Wal-Mart so much money. This is about Christmas, but not Christmas as most would normally think about it. Christmas is a warzone.
So this is Christmas (says the world)
Christmas is not what the unbelieving world wants it to be. They would have all us Christians celebrating the birth of the King in a way that is expressly inoffensive and, well... non-Christian. They are ok with a Christmas that includes general tidings of goodwill (though don't ask where the goodwill comes from - that's a no-no). They are ok with the lights, the presents, the trees and the cheer. These emblems are only tolerated so long as their celebration remains on the surface, and no one does any exploratory drilling to find out what's really going on ten or twenty feet down. In short, the unbelieving world wants to claim Christmas for their own, but they insist on stripping it of all Christian meaning first. They'd like to casually scoot in next to those of us worshipping Jesus and singing Advent hymns so that they can say, "See? Christmas is for us, too!"
The great mistake made by the world (and, unfortunately, tolerated by evangelicals for so long) is that Christmas can be viewed as some sort of philanthropic common ground. During this season, the thought goes, Muslims, atheists, LGBTQ folks and everyone else in between can come close to the fire, get warm, pat each other on the back, sip some cocoa, have a laugh, then go back to their various forms of rebellion against God. All of this is done in the name of ... Jesus?
Christians know better (or, at least, we ought to). We know the truth. We did not find it after years of heavy searching and contemplation. God, in his mercy, revealed it to us while we were in our rebellion. All praise to him! We do no one any favors if we do not call Christmas exactly what it is - a warzone. Put away your Hallmark movies and grab your battle axe.
The great mistake made by the world (and, unfortunately, tolerated by evangelicals for so long) is that Christmas can be viewed as some sort of philanthropic common ground. During this season, the thought goes, Muslims, atheists, LGBTQ folks and everyone else in between can come close to the fire, get warm, pat each other on the back, sip some cocoa, have a laugh, then go back to their various forms of rebellion against God. All of this is done in the name of ... Jesus?
Christians know better (or, at least, we ought to). We know the truth. We did not find it after years of heavy searching and contemplation. God, in his mercy, revealed it to us while we were in our rebellion. All praise to him! We do no one any favors if we do not call Christmas exactly what it is - a warzone. Put away your Hallmark movies and grab your battle axe.
The First Christmas
To understand what I mean by saying Christmas is a warzone, let me remind you of that first Christmas. Now, I love Christmas songs as much as the next guy. Silent Night is a staple of my life that will never be taken away. However, the scene painted by the lyrics to that particular hymn may not entirely capture the tone and setting of the arrival of Jesus. Consider some lines from other hymns we sing:
O come, though Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
____________________________
Rank on rank the host of heaven
spreads its vanguard on the way,
as the Light of light descendeth
from the realms of endless day,
that the pow'rs of hell may vanish
as the darkness clears away.
____________________________
Remember, Christ our Saviour was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan's pow'r when we were gone astray
Are you picking up on the theme here? Jesus came on a mission that disrupted the agenda of Satan. Never forget that Jesus was born into a land with a governor that wanted him dead from his birth! Scripture says that all Jerusalem was in turmoil at the news of his arrival. His enemies wasted no time attempting to seek and destroy the promised King. Joseph and Mary sneaked out of their own country (likely funded by the Magi gifts) and had to lay low until one wicked king was replaced by another.
Fast-forward to Jesus' public life and ministry. His enemies never went away. The Scribes, Pharisees, and High Priest wanted him dead. Satan himself made an appearance to tempt Jesus in the wilderness and thwart his mission. The hatred would continue right up through Jesus' show trial, conviction, and murder. Even after he came to life again, the powers-that-be went to great lengths to silence the truth of his resurrection.
Why such antagonism toward Jesus? Here's why, and we can't miss this: Jesus came to a world that was not ok. Jesus did not come here and discover that things were desperate. He came because things were desperate. He parachuted behind enemy lines, in a sense, fully aware of the direness of the situation. John 1:10–11 tells us:
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. (ESV)
O come, though Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
____________________________
Rank on rank the host of heaven
spreads its vanguard on the way,
as the Light of light descendeth
from the realms of endless day,
that the pow'rs of hell may vanish
as the darkness clears away.
____________________________
Remember, Christ our Saviour was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan's pow'r when we were gone astray
Are you picking up on the theme here? Jesus came on a mission that disrupted the agenda of Satan. Never forget that Jesus was born into a land with a governor that wanted him dead from his birth! Scripture says that all Jerusalem was in turmoil at the news of his arrival. His enemies wasted no time attempting to seek and destroy the promised King. Joseph and Mary sneaked out of their own country (likely funded by the Magi gifts) and had to lay low until one wicked king was replaced by another.
Fast-forward to Jesus' public life and ministry. His enemies never went away. The Scribes, Pharisees, and High Priest wanted him dead. Satan himself made an appearance to tempt Jesus in the wilderness and thwart his mission. The hatred would continue right up through Jesus' show trial, conviction, and murder. Even after he came to life again, the powers-that-be went to great lengths to silence the truth of his resurrection.
Why such antagonism toward Jesus? Here's why, and we can't miss this: Jesus came to a world that was not ok. Jesus did not come here and discover that things were desperate. He came because things were desperate. He parachuted behind enemy lines, in a sense, fully aware of the direness of the situation. John 1:10–11 tells us:
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. (ESV)
The Fundamental Problem
Jesus didn't start a conflict by taking on human flesh. The war had started far, far earlier. Jesus just arrived to fight and win the definitive battle. This war had been going on since Genesis 3. Ever since our first parents sinned in the Garden, the cosmic conflict has been between the seed of the serpent (Satan) and the seed of the woman (God's people). There is no third side, and there is no treaty between these two opposing forces. The fight is violent, and it will be to the death. Consider this God-breathed declaration of war:
Genesis 3:15
[15] I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.” (ESV)
What is important for us to understand at Christmas (and at all other times) is that the Advent of Jesus is not a time to forget differences with the seed of the serpent (those still in their rebellion against God), but to remember the differences and declare them. Why? Because God Almighty remembers them, and it is precisely the ongoing rebellion against him that the Incarnation was designed to address. Christmas isn't a break from the conflict. It's the rallying cry to our King as he leads his powerful charge against his enemies.
"The hinge of history is on the door of a Bethlehem stable." - Ralph W. Sockman
Genesis 3:15
[15] I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.” (ESV)
What is important for us to understand at Christmas (and at all other times) is that the Advent of Jesus is not a time to forget differences with the seed of the serpent (those still in their rebellion against God), but to remember the differences and declare them. Why? Because God Almighty remembers them, and it is precisely the ongoing rebellion against him that the Incarnation was designed to address. Christmas isn't a break from the conflict. It's the rallying cry to our King as he leads his powerful charge against his enemies.
"The hinge of history is on the door of a Bethlehem stable." - Ralph W. Sockman
Herod is Alive and Well
Here's the other thing to remember: the Herod family dynasty may have faded away, but the spirit they embodied and employed against God has not diminished. Christians remain the most persecuted people in the history of the universe, and that is precisely because of Christmas. How do I figure? At Christmas, our God, the true God, bridged that greatest of gaps between heaven and earth to confront evil to its face. Now, every person to draw breath is faced with the reality that they must answer to the child in the manger. They either join the Magi in worshiping him as the true King, or they remain in their rebellion against him. There is no in-between. So the war wages on.
It is fought when ancient, biblical truths are attacked or redefined, such as God's declaration that all people are male or female, and we can't switch from one to the other. It is fought when the state attempts to jettison God's definition of marriage and morality. It is fought when we are told that elected officials, not God, are the highest authority on earth. It is fought when public voices diminish Christianity as oppressive and extremist while simultaneously celebrating atheism, LGBTQ ideology, Islam, or any form of false belief. They don't care which worldview you have, as long as it isn't the only true one.
This doesn't just take shape in capitol buildings or in public policy. It happens around dinner tables and in the modern-day colosseum of social media. You might see it when your God-hating aunt is visiting for Christmas and she verbally lauds praises regarding the cousin in the family who is careening toward death, disease, and condemnation through a homosexual lifestyle. This relative is "brave," "courageous," and "inspiring," so she says. If you dare to voice any kind of rebuttal, gentle as you may be, she then calls you and your God uncaring for suggesting that God has a better plan for humanity through heterosexuality, and that maybe the way humanity has flourished and prospered since the beginning of time, according to God's design, is the best option for humans. What an extremist you are.
Events like this are significant. They are skirmishes in the war I'm talking about - the war that has gone on since Adam and Eve were "shown the door" in the Garden.
It is fought when ancient, biblical truths are attacked or redefined, such as God's declaration that all people are male or female, and we can't switch from one to the other. It is fought when the state attempts to jettison God's definition of marriage and morality. It is fought when we are told that elected officials, not God, are the highest authority on earth. It is fought when public voices diminish Christianity as oppressive and extremist while simultaneously celebrating atheism, LGBTQ ideology, Islam, or any form of false belief. They don't care which worldview you have, as long as it isn't the only true one.
This doesn't just take shape in capitol buildings or in public policy. It happens around dinner tables and in the modern-day colosseum of social media. You might see it when your God-hating aunt is visiting for Christmas and she verbally lauds praises regarding the cousin in the family who is careening toward death, disease, and condemnation through a homosexual lifestyle. This relative is "brave," "courageous," and "inspiring," so she says. If you dare to voice any kind of rebuttal, gentle as you may be, she then calls you and your God uncaring for suggesting that God has a better plan for humanity through heterosexuality, and that maybe the way humanity has flourished and prospered since the beginning of time, according to God's design, is the best option for humans. What an extremist you are.
Events like this are significant. They are skirmishes in the war I'm talking about - the war that has gone on since Adam and Eve were "shown the door" in the Garden.
How Will it End?
The best news, as it pertains to this war, is found on many gilded Christmas cards. Let me remind you of the significance of Christmas according to the prophet, Isaiah.
Isaiah 9:6–7
[6] 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.
[7] Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. (ESV)
The child in the manger did not come to promote a new philosophy or ideology. He did not come to set things right "in theory" or in unquantifiable ways. Look at the text. God, through Isaiah, promised that this child would bring about a change - a real, tangible, and increasing change. As I've said before, the government (rule and reign) of Jesus only grows in one direction. It increases. That's all it does. It only grows. It will not shrink, diminish, or nearly waste away. Like a balloon filling slowly with air, or like a stone that grows until it is a planet-engulfing mountain (to use the prophet Daniel's image), Jesus' rule and reign will only increase, and that increase began when the King touched down to the world he created.
Is there hope in this war? Make no mistake, friend. There is only hope, and the hope increases, right along with the unstoppable rule of Jesus.
Isaiah 9:6–7
[6] 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.
[7] Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. (ESV)
The child in the manger did not come to promote a new philosophy or ideology. He did not come to set things right "in theory" or in unquantifiable ways. Look at the text. God, through Isaiah, promised that this child would bring about a change - a real, tangible, and increasing change. As I've said before, the government (rule and reign) of Jesus only grows in one direction. It increases. That's all it does. It only grows. It will not shrink, diminish, or nearly waste away. Like a balloon filling slowly with air, or like a stone that grows until it is a planet-engulfing mountain (to use the prophet Daniel's image), Jesus' rule and reign will only increase, and that increase began when the King touched down to the world he created.
Is there hope in this war? Make no mistake, friend. There is only hope, and the hope increases, right along with the unstoppable rule of Jesus.
Where is the Fight?
Like the skirmish I described regarding your fictitious (or perhaps real) aunt, there are a million little battlegrounds in a million little places. I encourage you to think on a large scale and a small scale.
On a large scale, fight for the crown rights of Jesus in your nation, state, and county. Take public stands for truth when and where you can, and urge your church to do the same. This means resisting wicked legislation and supporting righteous legislation. It means letting your voice be heard to your elected officials, both for praise and rebuke. Pray for your leaders. Contend for righteousness and the promotion of the gospel in your place.
On a small scale, this means we don't waste the little opportunities. Every interaction is an opportunity to make much of truth. Care for your neighborhood and town enough that you consciously do what you can to see the worship of Jesus increase. For starters, make your local church the headquarters for the battle in your place. Don't neglect the saints or the ordinary means of grace God has given through his local body. You need the fullness of what he's provided for this ongoing war. Connect yourself to the church.
This also means engaging in evangelism. Don't neglect the souls in your town!
Even more personally, this fight likely begins at your dinner table. Everyone under your roof either worships Jesus as Lord, or they don't. Even if they do, isn't it true that we all need the basic truths of who God is and what he has done to save sinners placed in front of us again and again?
On a large scale, fight for the crown rights of Jesus in your nation, state, and county. Take public stands for truth when and where you can, and urge your church to do the same. This means resisting wicked legislation and supporting righteous legislation. It means letting your voice be heard to your elected officials, both for praise and rebuke. Pray for your leaders. Contend for righteousness and the promotion of the gospel in your place.
On a small scale, this means we don't waste the little opportunities. Every interaction is an opportunity to make much of truth. Care for your neighborhood and town enough that you consciously do what you can to see the worship of Jesus increase. For starters, make your local church the headquarters for the battle in your place. Don't neglect the saints or the ordinary means of grace God has given through his local body. You need the fullness of what he's provided for this ongoing war. Connect yourself to the church.
This also means engaging in evangelism. Don't neglect the souls in your town!
Even more personally, this fight likely begins at your dinner table. Everyone under your roof either worships Jesus as Lord, or they don't. Even if they do, isn't it true that we all need the basic truths of who God is and what he has done to save sinners placed in front of us again and again?
Conclusion
The point of this post is not to suck all the fun out of Christmas. I hope this season is filled with joyous celebration! Indulge in the warmth, charity, and feasting that is appropriate to the occasion. Just remember, Christian, that the very cause you have to celebrate is the same cause God's enemies have to continue in their anger and rebellion.
Go ahead and celebrate, but keep your armor on and your weapon nearby.
Merry Christmas!
Go ahead and celebrate, but keep your armor on and your weapon nearby.
Merry Christmas!
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