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‘Reality Christmas’

Hope Rises Midst Evil

The event can only be described as horrific,

The date? Our minds go immediately to September 11, 2001, but the preceding description could as easily describe the events of the Christmas that began all Christmases, the birth of Jesus.

King Herod ordered the killing of all the boy children of Bethlehem from infants to crawlers and on through toddlers. He wanted to ensure that the threat of the birth of a Messiah was removed. Herod’s soldiers stormed into town.

“O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!”

The small town wasn’t “still” that tragic day when the surprise attack came and the town’s heart was torn open. Bethlehem was no New York City, but they had their own tragedy, the per capita grief no less.

“A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.” 
(Matthew 2:6)

Precautions had been taken to guarantee that the newborn Messiah would be safe. It was a covert operation from the beginning. Bunkered in a barn, the only ones to be told of His presence were a few shepherds outside of town minding their own business, the business of shepherding sheep. Suddenly an angelic trooper dropped from the sky. His first task was to calm their fears. Why is it we always picture angels as overfed babies with duck-like wings or as beautiful debutantes dressed for a ball? Fearsome warriors is what they are, God’s elite ready to do cosmic battle. They almost always strike fear into the hearts of the mere mortals they are sent to as messengers. But there were no weapons fired, just the weapon of words, propaganda of a good kind. “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) They were told how they can find the hidden child. “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:12) Then as suddenly as the special forces trooper had arrived, there appeared an entire regiment as backup, a heavenly army that dropped more words in song; then they left as quickly as they had come.

There were some traveling spiritual seekers from the east; we have them on camels and call them wise men in our nativity scenes. These students of the stars had seen a cosmic event indicating the birth of a king. An audience with King Herod the Great didn’t provide them with any additional directions as to where this newborn king could be found. Unfortunately they had inadvertently given the king valuable information that alarmed him. The record says that King Herod “was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.” (Matthew 2:3) We can understand why Herod would feel threatened, but why was all of Jerusalem disturbed? Because when King Herod’s not happy, nobody’s happy!

Herod, who ruled from 40 to 4 BC (the likely year of Jesus’ actual birth), was an evil man. He protected his reign at all costs, including the execution of his wife Mariamne and eldest son Antipater. A newborn Messiah had to be found and killed. Herod cared little about trying to target the enemy so as to save other lives. Kill them all, was his order; kill all the little boys in Bethlehem. Collateral damage was not a consideration.

Herod’s horrendously evil command failed to accomplish its mission. Joseph, Mary, and the baby, who would be king, made it out of town and were on their way to being temporary refugees in Egypt.

Covert Operation

This was a different kind of war Herod the Great was facing, one that he and his descendant kings would lose. The Herodian dynasty was familiar with playing the political game and exhibiting brute military force to insure their grip of power. The coming of the baby king had initiated a spiritual campaign, a covert operation that they little understood.

The Gospel of John’s version of Christmas gives no details of the event, just the profound reality of what happened. “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.” (John 1:10) It was a covert operation.

The covert operation continued for Jesus’ entire earthly life. Everyone chooses his own battles to fight, and Jesus chose not to fight for earthly rule. He made that decision in the wilderness at the start of His ministry. "The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, 'I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.'" (Luke 4:5-6) Jesus declined the offer.

Jesus would declare before Pontius Pilate some three years later, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36)

Jesus won His covert operation by breaking the grip of the prince of this world when He went to the cross, certainly a surprise way to win a battle. “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.” (John 12:31)

Kingdoms in Conflict

The events of September 11 redefined just how evil human actions can be. We watched as the two tallest towers in the country collapsed with thousands still trapped inside. What was incomprehensible was that it was intentional and that it was motivated by some kind of deeply held religious conviction that defined the American people as evil.

The very best that humanity has done has been done in the name of religion. The very worst that humanity has done has been done in the name of religion. How can this be? It’s because the ultimate conflict is a spiritual one. Jesus’ nickname for the one who embodies and resources evil was “the prince of this world.” (John 12:30, 14:30, 16:11) The apostle Paul would refer to the Evil One as “the ruler of the kingdom of the air.” (Ephesians 2:2) He apparently controls the air space!

I realize that some find it difficult to believe in a personal evil force, but I’m convinced of the reality of this ultimate enemy of God and His best. I’m convinced of his reality for two reasons: First, Jesus believed in his existence. Second, how else do you adequately explain such events as the infanticide in Bethlehem by Herod, the Holocaust by Hitler, and the September 11 attacks by Osama bin Laden?

Evil has a real existence and it can strike and cause destruction at the heart of an individual or at the heart of New York City. There is a cosmic battle between good and evil and we humans are victims, participants, and the battlefield itself—all three.

War makes no sense and we find it difficult to make sense out of the tragedy caused by the conflict of good and evil. Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel writes, “The death of every innocent person turns me into a question mark.” Billy Graham admitted in his message at the Washington Cathedral that it is all a great mystery. However, we don’t need answers to keep fighting the battle against evil.

“Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light:
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.”

Reality Christmas

We will celebrate this Christmas with the still-fresh wounds of Osama bin Laden’s terrorism, but we will celebrate it nevertheless. That first Christmas included the treachery of Herod the Great. Many Christmases since have had to be celebrated in the midst of great evil. Our own Christmas celebrations must often be celebrated in the shadows of our own private troubles and tragedies. Worlds keep crumbling down around people.

Since that fateful September 11 many have had to hear a devastating report from a doctor, been served divorce papers, stood at the grave of a loved one, faced days of emptiness and nights of loneliness, been in a serious car accident, or struggled with a deep bout of depression. Still, Christmas can and must be celebrated at ground zero of two crumbled towers and at ground zero of countless other troubles and tragedies. 

The kind of Christmas that will stand in the face of evil is not some picture-perfect Currier and Ives Christmas scene etched on a glass of eggnog. We’d all like such a perfect Christmas: the carols playing softly, a fire crackling in the fireplace, entire families in harmony gathered around Christmas dinner, gifts exchanged that everyone actually likes. Our memories idealize Christmases past, our hopes the Christmases yet to come, including this one. For most, it won’t happen. No Christmas is perfect. We have our own reasons why our cup of this past year’s experience won’t match well with the traditional Currier and Ives Christmas set.

Reality TV is popular this season. Now it’s time to celebrate a reality Christmas. We don’t have the option of celebrating in the absence of trouble and tragedy, but we do have the option of celebrating boldly in the face of it. The good news of Christmas is that we don’t have to face this far-from-perfect life alone. Joseph received the good news by a heavenly messenger via a dream before his fiancée Mary gave birth. “‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’—which means, ‘God with us.’” (Matthew 1:23) Christmas means God is with us!

Tragedy would drive us to our knees in defeat. We can choose to have it drive us to our knees in prayer, where we can connect with God. We can also choose to rise again from our knees in triumph, with the commitment to partner with God, He providing direction and strength and we offering obedience and dependence. Tragedy to triumph: it all depends on using that wonderful gift called choice.

“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:10-12)

Christmas means God is with us. Christmas can also mean that we’ve chosen to be with God. It’s then that we can find real comfort and encouragement in Jesus’ words. “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) A reality Christmas can still be a good Christmas when Immanuel is at the center! 

Rev. David Claassen is Senior Minister, Mayfair-Plymouth Congregational Church, Toledo, Ohio. His e-mail address is ddclaassen@email.com

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