“Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a father who prepared a wonderful Christmas for His family complete with the best food, wine, presents, singing and games. He placed invitations in the mail and in the newspaper, sent notices across the internet and sent his messengers to share the news of the banquet to come. His servants went to those who had been invited to share Christmas with him to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
“Then he sent some more servants with more and bigger gifts and presents and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my home: My tree is decorated, the candles are lit, the food has been prepared and the musicians are ready. Come and celebrate with me!’
“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his career, another to his hobbies and yet another to watch more TV." Matthew 22:1-5 (I've adapted this parable to fit the Christmas theme)
Christmas is Choice.
In the first film of the Matrix trilogy, Morpheus alludes to the fact that the reality that Neo is accustomed to is a lie and that Morpheus can show him the truth. He is asked to make a choice between two pills, red and blue. The blue pill will cause him to “wake up in his bed and believe whatever he wants to believe.” He is told that if he takes the red pill, however, he will “stay in Wonderland” and Morpheus will “show him how deep the rabbit hole goes”. Neo chooses the red pill and is illuminated as to the true nature of the Matrix; which keeps the inhabitants in a mental prison. To translate it to the present world comes like this.
"You take the blue pill, the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes." Morpheus to Neo in the MatrixOn the one hand there is the mainstream view, the comforting view, the materialistic, humanistic, secular world view. That is the world in which the majority of people and almost all policymakers live. If you want to be part of this world, you have to take the blue pill and deal with the world as it is. In the words of Morpheus: “You wake up in your bed and you believe what you want to believe.” You can simply continue reading the main newspapers and watch commercial channels – it’s the same thing going nowhere in particular. The great advantage of this lifestyle is the ability to look and sound like everyone else. You fit in. The alternative is the Christian view. This world is not all there is and it is not our true home. The secular world is a world of lies to keep you tied to the rat-race, the grind stone, and the treadmill. It is a dog-eat-dog world you've been living in, but there's something else you need to know, there's more to you than this. If you've ever felt that twinge that comes from the spirit, that longing for something beautiful and elegant, or just find something more thought you don't know quite what it is, then you've found "Wonderland".
“If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” CS LewisBut to choose 'Wonderland' with all its mysteries, dangers and challenges will reveal more about life than we can possibly imagine. BUT despite all it's dangers, it has one thing going for it, it is TRUE. Well we've come to the end, or is it the beginning. I'm not sure. When I started this little devotional I thought it would be fun, and it has, but it has also been very challenging. I've really had to stop and think through what Christmas means in both words and images. Both have shaped the direction of my thoughts and I hope they have yours as well. I thought I knew Christmas well enough, but I didn't. And if I think I know now, I don't, but I am getting closer to the Truth than I was before and for that I'm grateful. I'm also grateful to you the reader for taking the time to read, reflect and receive what I've offered. If they have in anyway been a blessing to your life and journey, then that's God's gift to you. Some of you have gone so far as to share your thoughts with me and in so doing have give me the gift of your unique perspective. Thank you for that. But Advent is over now, and Christmas is here. In a few day, the trees, lights and lawn ornaments will be packed away for another year and we will go back to bed and believe whatever we want to believe. I suspect church attendance will also begin to wane as we settle back into old well worn habits and routines. Now that the poinsettias and pageantry is over, do we still want to learn about the life of this child called Jesus? For over 2,000 years we've been celebrating the birth of Jesus (more or less) and telling and retelling the story what it means and why we should pay attention. I suspect we will continue to do so because so many choose the status quo.
choice (chois) n. 1. The act of choosing; selection. 2. The power, right, or liberty to choose; option. 3. One that is chosen. 4. A number or variety from which to choose: a wide choice of styles and colors. 5. The best or most preferable part. 6. An alternative.Throughout the Gospel's Jesus is constantly give people choices. To the Rich young ruler, Jesus tells him to chose between his possessions and life. In the parable of the banquet (above) Jesus says the Kingdom of God is like a banquet many chose not to accept.
Christmas is a Choice.
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I can’t help but wonder, not being as deep a thinker as you and as C. S. Lewis, your favorite author, if in order to “make a choice,” we have to realize that there is a choice to be made.
It seems to me that we continue to choose the status quo if we are not shown that there is an alternative to the status quo; for we are blinded by the fear of the reality that nothing exists but the status quo and by the monopoly of the status quo in and on almost every aspect of our lives.
Above, you stated, “I’m grateful to you the reader for taking the time to read, reflect and receive what I’ve offered. If they have in anyway been a blessing to your life and journey, then that’s God’s gift to you. Some of you have gone so far as to share your thoughts with me and in so doing have given me the gift of your unique perspective. Thank you for that.”
You also said, “I thought I knew Christmas well enough, but I didn’t. And if I think I know now, I don’t, but I am getting closer to the Truth than I was before and for that I’m grateful.”
Yes, I have “read, received, and reflected” muchly and at length on much of what you yourself have learned so that you could write and teach that to us; and “I’m grateful for that.”
And, yes, I am like you, “I thought I knew Christmas, but I didn’t.” Do I “know it now”? No, no more than do you.
But, like you and because of you, “I am getting closer to the Truth”; and “I am very grateful for that.”
But, aside from, yet also in addition to “the words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart,” which have helped me to see beyond the status quo of the world’s interpretation of Christmas to its alternative — Christ and Emmanuel — is my thanks for your choice.
You chose — you chose not only to share with us but to also to teach us, through Scripture and your introspective searchings, words that we could not only read in the moment but thoughts that we could “chew upon” in the quietness of our hearts and our alone-time in order to think about and to determine for ourselves, as best as we, like you, can, WHAT CHRISTMAS IS…or perhaps better phrased, WHAT GOD INTENDED CHRISTMAS TO BE.
Advent, for a pastor, is an extremely busy and demanding time of the year.
With all else you had to do, you did not have to CHOOSE; you did not have to make the CHOICE to remind us of our necessity to CHOOSE and then to teach us how and the alternatives with which we could and should make the CHOICE to overcome the status quo as Christ Himself “overcame the darkness” with the Light at His birth.
…but you did; and so I join God and my fellow readers in saying that “I am extremely grateful that you did.”
…and if you CHOOSE…I look forward to your CHOICE of sharing similar writings on any of a myriad of topics in the future.
…until then, may God continue to bless “the words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart” so that they will continue being a blessing to you and to others.