It is Christmas season again and most people have special things they like about Christmas, but for those who know the Lord what is foremost about Christmas is the person of Christ. He is the Savior who was promised by God and came exactly as the Bible prophesied. There are many people who have attempted to remove Christ’s name from Christmas, and there are consistent efforts each year to change the emphasis away from our Lord. There was a time when many used the name Xmas in store windows instead of Christmas, and some still do. Paul shows us the invaluable importance of the Lord’s name by disclosing His true identity. If we know His identity, we know it is only right for Him to be worshipped in the Christmas celebration as it is the grandest and most expansive event on earth. Paul’s revelation of Jesus Christ from eternity before becoming the incarnate God Man is so glorious it is impossible for us to comprehend. Paul says, “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him” (Col. 1:16). This means that every person and literally every created thing that exists was made by Jesus Christ. He is the same Jesus Christ of whom we celebrate His supernatural and unusual birth, a birth not in grandeur, but in poverty and near obscurity. He became a Man born to a virgin conceived of the Holy Spirit for the explicit purpose of rescuing sinners by sacrificing Himself as a substitute for God the Father’s righteous wrath.

Because He is the exclusive glorious Savior, we often speak in terms of the need for Christians to measure their activity to be Christ-centered rather than man-centered. The reasoning behind this goes beyond the ministry into life and decisions at every turn with each person. Every matter of life from every person is either man-centered or Christ-centered. Remarkably, the celebration of the greatest of events, the very birth of Jesus Christ which bears His name, is pushed from all directions to be man centered. Paul corrects all thinking by stating how things must be and will be by including the reality that not only were all things created by Him (Jesus Christ), but all things were created for Him. It is no wonder that we are told, “God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11). So we see that we are to bow our knees, which practically describes living in commitment to Him, which should begin in the immediate. What a small and reasonable thing it is therefore to make Christmas about Christ. But this is like all things in life. To be right minded requires us to be born of God, and thereby correctly focused in all of our life upon our Savior.  When our hearts are right, no one will have to tell us to remember that Christmas is about the birth of the Savior. To the Christian every day is a type of Christmas, not just the season including His name.

I was reminded of one of those Christ devoted grand characters given to us in Scripture by the name of Simeon. Luke tells us that Simeon was a man looking for the coming Messiah. He was guided by the Holy Spirit. In the providence of God Simeon encountered the baby Jesus in the Temple and knew He was the Messiah. The Scripture says, “It had been revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26). Consider for a moment the importance Simeon placed on knowing Jesus Christ. When he saw Him it says, “He took Him into his arms, and blessed God and said, now Lord, you are releasing your bond-servant to depart in peace according to Your Word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation” (Luke 2:28-30). Simeon did not just see Christ Jesus with his eyes who then was just a baby, but also with his heart. He was everything to him. He is still the One who we need to see with our hearts. Simeon’s hope was fixed on Jesus Christ alone. His response is so revealing. He only had to look at the Savior and have a complete sense of peace. His happiness and joy was built around knowing Jesus Christ. He called Him, “A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:32). There are really only two groups of people in the world, Jews and Gentiles. Simeon therefore correctly places Christ in the highest position of importance to all people. In this Christmas season, do we have the mind, heart, and attitude of Simeon? The name of Jesus Christ is called, “Wonderful” in Isaiah 9:6. Is He wonderful to each of us causing us to come before the Father thanking and praising Him for sending His Son? To do so is a worshipful privilege!