Well it is that time of year again when my kids ask all sorts of questions about traditions and how certain ones began, the meaning behind certain stories/songs and such. I sometimes forget conversations I have had with which of my children so it seems the same things get retold again and again.
They ask about the cultural stories of Santa Claus and how Christmas has evolved (or probably more correctly devolved). Advent and Hanakkuh traditions. Things like why I don't have the three wise men (Magi) as part of my nativity set:
Because sweetie, the Magi didn't show up in the manger to visit the baby Jesus, they didn't show up till much later when he was a child living in a house with his mother. And we don't have a record of exactly how many of them there were total. (i.e. Matt 2 tells us that the Magi came from the east following a star and spoke to King Herod in Jerusalem.)
Matt 2:9 "After they [the Magi] had heard the King [Herod], they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child [not infant] was."
Matt 2:11 "On coming to the house [not manger or stable], they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him..."
And today we got into a conversation of what the angels sang (proclaimed) to the sheperds the night of Jesus' birth. Unlike what the song "It came upon a midnight clear" says, the angles did not have harps of gold singing "Peace on Earth, good will to men from heaven's all gracious King!"
Luke 2:14 tells us the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds in the fields and was proclaiming Jesus' birth, and the heavenly host came "praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
We need to remember that Jesus did not come to bring peace to Earth. His peace, which is not as we think of worldly peace, is given to "whom His favor rests" which are believers and followers of Christ.
Luke 12:51 "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division."
Matt 10:34 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn " 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' "
Speaking to his apostles Jesus says in John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
The secularized Christmas stories and songs are all sweet sentiments that don't do any real harm. Or do they? For the Word tells us to "Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." 1 Timothy 4:7-8
No, I'm not a funsucker who can't enjoy a good Christmas Carol or silly Christmas story or movie and such. But I do always want to remember what God did for me when he sent his son Immanuel (God with us), to be born of a woman, to die a sinners death for the punishment of my sins. I want to have a clear understanding of the Word so that I know what my faith relies on. And to teach these things to my children, so that each of us may Praise the Lord in all Truth this Christmas season and all year long.
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