It’s rather peculiar. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the event par excellence that shapes Christian faith and identity. When we are baptized, we die to our old life and are raised as a new creation in Christ. Yet, we don’t sing Easter carols. We don’t put up Easter trees or go to Easter parties. Why? If the central tenant of Christian faith and belief is the resurrection of Jesus Christ-if, as Paul wrote, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins”-then why do we sing carols, send cards, and make such a fuss over this time of the year?
The gospel of John says about Jesus: “For from his fulness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1:16). At the time the New Testament was written, the Greek word translated “grace,” charis, also meant, “gift.”
It’s where we get our word, “charity.” Do you still have an old King James in your house? You’ll see 1 Corinthians 13:13 as, “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” We think of charity as something we do for other people in dire straits. Maybe someone fell on hard times, lost their job or their home. Maybe someone doesn’t have enough money to feed or clothe themselves. Charity is something we see much of around Christmas.
Have you noticed the folks standing at intersections here in town, ringing the bell for the Salvation Army? Some are embarrassed to receive charity. American culture is based upon the ideal of the frontier, the New World the rugged individual who traverses the prairie, endures hardships and tribulations, and then claims a homestead by building a log cabin with his bare hands before winter sets in. We even have an arch over in St. Louis to commemorate this period in American history!
Yet, doesn’t the scripture testify that we are all in need of charity?
Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his charis through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.” We are saved from our sins and separation from God, through the grace/gift of God in Jesus Christ.
There’s an old saying: all ground is level at the foot of the cross. It doesn’t matter where you live, what ethnicity you may be, how rich or poor you are no matter what your life has been or is slated to be-we are all in deep need of Jesus. Someone once said that the gospel is simply, “one beggar telling another beggar where he found bread.”
That is why we celebrate so much this time of year. We put lights on our trees and homes because Jesus said, “I have come into the world as light” (John 12:46). We hold outdoor nativities because, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” We tell others where we found bread.
We proclaim to the world the charis of God, the one who said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).
Wishing you a blessed Christmas. Pastors Logan & Jacey Zepp
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men – Luke 2:14
