This is a Christmas card I wrote and sent to friends and family for the last two years. I thought it would make an excellent entry in this online journal of mine, wishing a “Very Merry Christmas” to all who read it.
I hope you take time this day, amid the hustle and bustle and commercialism of this Holiday, to reflect on its true meaning.
No matter what your Faith, I hope you find something in my Christmas card to you Spiritually uplifting. And if you’re a Christian, Muslim, or Jew … we all share a common ancestor in Abraham … so we can all agree on some things -- which you’ll find at the end of this card.
In any case, no matter what religion, it seems everyone the world over takes part in Christmas. So whether you agree with the Christian Holy Day or not … hopefully you’ll find some of what I have to say educational and fascinating from a historical point of view.
So what is Christmas?
It’s the celebration of the “miraculous CONCEPTION (and birth)” of Yahshua Christ. The WORD made FLESH. Immanuel, “God with Us”.
Miraculous Conception
Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month [on December 25th ], God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David [Mary is the descendant of David]. The virgin's name was Mary.
28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.
37 For nothing is impossible with God."
38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
Why celebrate the conception instead of the birth?
Actually, Christmas is more or less a celebration of both. It’s just that the Holy Day set aside coincides with the MIRACLE … the conception.
It was on that day that God gave the world its most precious gift. That was the day that the Spirit of YHVH, “I Am That I Am,” would begin to dwell with man (in the womb of Mary), to fulfill prophecy and become the ultimate sacrifice (the Savior, the Messiah) for ALL mankind.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever BELIEVES in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16
Besides, when people refer to “the MIRACLE of birth,” they’re not JUST referring to going into labor and giving birth. I think deep down we all know that the miracle of birth first begins with the conception.
Sure, the mother and father contribute the DNA, but it’s that spark of the Divine … that spark of Creation that’s the real miracle. That’s the moment when the Spirit and a Soul takes up residence in the womb.
For those of you who are religious and “Pro-choice,” read further in Luke 1 and tell me that LIFE doesn’t begin at conception.
Luke 1:41-45
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
John, only 6 months in the womb, reacted to the presence of the Divine that had been conceived in the womb of Mary!
Anyway, even though the act of giving birth is considered a miracle, it happens everyday to many forms of life. It’s a common occurrence I think only a mother can truly understand how “miraculous” it can be.
On the other hand, how often does a virgin give birth? Uh huh … pretty rare, huh?
So in this instance, to many, not only is the conception extra-special, the whole pregnancy would be.
I mean, a virgin is giving birth to God incarnate. So I can understand how Christians would fixate on the birth more than the conception. It’s not until HE exits the womb that HE becomes a “tangible” gift to man.
If December 25th is the date of conception, when was the birth?
Yahshua was born on September 29 of that year on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. How fitting!
How do you know?
Ask the “3 Wise Men.” Actually, it’s too long to get into here.
Why not have two holidays, one for the conception and one for the birth?
Good question. I say why not have one really long 9-month holiday of gift giving and good will?
I guess the short answer is, we all only have one day set aside for friends and family to celebrate our own conception and 9-month birthing process … which is our birthday.
The only difference here is that we’re celebrating that same process on the day of conception instead of birth. So it is still indeed a birthday.
The Meaning of Christmas
My favorite part of the cartoon “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is when Linus takes the stage and tells the “meaning of Christmas” by reciting from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke. It goes:
And there were in the same country, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them. The glory of the Lord shone round about them … and they were so afraid.
And the angel said unto them, “Fear not … for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which will be to ALL people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior … Jesus Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying “Glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace, good will toward men.”
So what can Christians, Jews, and Muslims come together on for Christmas?
I think all three religions could agree that on this day we could all come together and give our Heavenly Father our love. I doubt anyone’s going to disagree with me and say God shouldn’t be loved.
Plus, I think we can all exercise extra tolerance on this day and show each other more love. What greater thing in Life is there?
The Primary Commandments – Mark 12:28-31
28 One of the scribes approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked Him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?"
29 "This is the most important," Jesus answered: "Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, The Lord is One.
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
31 The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these."
The New Commandment – John 13:34-35
I love how Yahshua gives his disciples a new commandment, if followed, takes care of 6 of the original “10 Commandments”.
34 "I give you a new commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another.
35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
If we all had LOVE for one another:
1. We would love and honor our parents. 2. Not commit murder against each other. 3. Not commit adultery. 4. Not steal from one another. 5. Not bear false witness. 6. Not covet.
Basically, if we exercised more love for one another, we wouldn’t hurt each other so much.
With that said, let’s all take a moment some time today to remember those less fortunate. There are those out there that are sick, homeless, and starving to death … many of them children. Let us not forget them and say a prayer for them.
I know I don't always show it or say it, but I LOVE each and every one of you!
