Yesterday I received a forwarded video. After watching it, I felt very uncomfortable, because I was afraid that this video brings a very wrong message about Christmas, and would mislead thousands of Chinese people. This video encouraged everyone to “stop Christmas” and not to celebrate Christmas. According to the video, Christmas is a holiday for the Westerners, it is a day of great revelry, a day when the siege of the Eight-nation coalition took place in China.
Dear friends, after watching this video, do not “stop Christmas”. Think about what Christmas truly means. What does it mean? Let me explain by using the three words that comprise the Chinese word for Christmas – “Holy”, “Birth”, “Day”.
“Holy”, is “Holy Son of God Jesus came from heaven”. Jesus was not a Westerner. He was born nearer to the East, also called the Near East. We are people of the Far East, he was an Israelite of the Near East. He came from heaven, coming down from God above, so he is not a Westerner, nor from the East. He is from above, born in Israel, as a Jew. Dear friends, Christmas is not a Western holiday, it is a holy holiday, given to the world from above.
“Birth” is “Born to die and save sinners”. Jesus came from heaven, was born as a man. What was his purpose? He had only one: to die on the cross for you and me, and rise on the third day. So Christmas is for Good Friday and Easter. Jesus’ name means “God saves.” Dear friends, Jesus came to the world not to condemn people, but to love people. He did not come to kill, but to be killed, to be nailed to the cross as the substitute for our sins, and to save us sinners. If you are willing to trust Jesus as your savior, you will receive new life, more abundant life. Please trust in Jesus now, call upon his name, and cry out to him: Lord Jesus, please save me! Let us call upon the Lord together. Lord Jesus, save me! Jesus has now saved you! Hallelujah. Now you can celebrate Christmas and proclaim God’s great love.
So “Day” is “Day to proclaim God’s great love”. Christmas is a season of love, it is a day of celebration for all, a day to proclaim God’s great and holy love. Christmas is certainly not a day for revelry, nor a day for parties and carousing. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son [Jesus], that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). When we receive God’s great love, we can proclaim his great love. Friends, please receive God’s great love, please join us in celebrating God’s great love.
Christmas is:
Holy Son of God Jesus came from heaven
Born to die and save sinners
A Day to proclaim God’s great love.
May God bless you and your loved ones: Merry Christmas!
By Rev Dr Tie King Tai SCAC President