The (true) Joys of Christmas!

 

The emperor has no clothes

Sad it is to say, but none of the sources of Christmas joy offered by the world each December will yield true or enduring happiness. 

Indeed, the birth of Jesus shows us that solid joys and lasting treasures are found by turning the worldly ones on their head. 

True joy is being known by God

(...not known by millions)

 

With the annual rise of celebrity-hysteria at this time of the year, the subliminal message is that if you attain fame and popularity, if lots of people follow or like you, then you'll be happy.

But the nativity teaches us the very opposite: that fame does bring upon us the blessing of God. Mary was an unknown Jewish girl, Joseph a humdrum carpenter, shepherding an everyday occupation and Bethlehem a run-of-the-mill Jewish village. 

In the great reversals of the Gospel, God deliberately chooses and values the foolish things of this world to shame the wise, and the weak things of this world to shame the strong. 

Knowing we have been chosen by God - though anonymous to Google Search and to the world - is the key to true happiness.

True Joy is possessing heavenly treasure

(...not lots of money)

Classic FM, one of the UK's favourite secular radio stations has just run a "win £20k for Christmas" campaign. Thousands of people lost their £2 to the one person who collected it all. The radio Ad asked hearers to imagine what an amazing Christmas would ensue in the wake of gaining and then blowing £20K.

From the occupation of Joseph, the song of Mary and the sacrifices Joseph and Mary brought when they presented infant Jesus at the temple, we can be pretty sure that Jesus was born into an ordinary, if not poor, home.

Where did  Joseph, with an ordinary carpenter's wage, get the money to undertake the family's perilous escape to Egypt?  If I am not mistaken, it dd not from savings, but from the providential gifts of the wise men.

The God of heaven did not deem wealth a prerequisite for his Son's happiness or joy. 

Even though this God owns the cattle on a thousands of hills and so Jesus could have been born in a palace, God chose humble beginnings.

True happiness is found in possessing the Pearl of Greatest Price, it's found in storing up treasures in heaven, not in winning the lottery.

True Joy is found in belonging to God's eternal family

(...not in our transient earthly families)

Dare I mention this one? Without being misunderstood or offending? 

When crowds pressed around Jesus one day someone informed him that family members were calling for him. Remember the story?

Everyone expected Jesus to stop what he was doing and give immediate wholeherated attention to flesh and blood.

Of course he would!

Family always come first don't they?

Instead of bowing to the universal expectations of the world Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he pointed to his followers and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!” (Matthew 12).

In other words Jesus said "I have another family too, an eternal one, and I must think about them also."

We're called to value and honour our flesh and blood - indeed if we fail here Scripture tells us that we are worse than unbelievers. Jesus in the hour of his greatest need made provision for his mother.

But in a season where the brokenness of earthly families is all too evident, and where too much hope is placed in the happy families that cannot be we remember both that in heaven sits the Man Christ Jesus of whom it was true...

 In life, no house, no home
  My Lord on earth might have;
In death, no friendly tomb,
  But what a stranger gave.
    What may I say?
    Heav’n was His home;
    But mine the tomb
    Wherein He lay.

And remember too that our true and eternal family consists of the family of faith (of whom, we pray all our flesh and blood would one day belong.)

With this eternal glorious family of faith we will truly banquet with our Elder Brother at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Here's a wonderful contemporary song which exchanges the lies of this world with truth of the Gospel:

My Worth is not found in what I own

My worth is not in what I own
Not in the strength of flesh and bone
But in the costly wounds of love
At the cross

My worth is not in skill or name
In win or lose, in pride or shame
But in the blood of Christ that flowed
At the cross

I rejoice in my Redeemer
Greatest Treasure,
Wellspring of my soul
I will trust in Him, no other.
My soul is satisfied in Him alone.

As summer flowers we fade and die
Fame, youth and beauty hurry by
But life eternal calls to us
At the cross

I will not boast in wealth or might
Or human wisdom’s fleeting light
But I will boast in knowing Christ
At the cross

Two wonders here that I confess
My worth and my unworthiness
My value fixed – my ransom paid
At the cross

AI Painting:

"Dalle paint a gaudy bright Christmas tree growing  upside down, pop art"