Recently, my family enjoyed a show at the South African Lipizzaners. There was an intermingling of Christmas carols, songs and the majestic movements of those incredible horses. A trio led the crowd in singing and when it was over they sang a “Christmas Medley” to, in their own words, help us enjoy “the spirit of Christmas.” And so they sang parts of various well-known Christmas songs such as,
Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas,
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,
Santa Claus is Coming to Town and other such profound theological pieces! To be fair there were some references to God and to Jesus interspersed throughout the show, and at one point Scripture was even read. And yet, without being critical, I could not but help but to feel that, for many there, the story of Christmas really boils down to Father Christmas, etc. For most, and perhaps even for some reading this, Christmas is a story about everything but what it is really about: a story of grace.
Whatever else can be said about Christmas (and much can be) it certainly is the story of God’s grace to mankind (cf. Luke 2:14). When God became man, this incarnational truth was the penultimate step to His fulfilling His covenant to save a people by His grace. The only thing left now to be done in space and time was for God Incarnate to suffer (both “actively” and “passively”) for the sins of His people. And the resurrection would certify that it was indeed finished!