by Pastor Victor Chen

When talking with children about Christmas, we can face a theological dilemma.

We can liken Christmas to Jesus’ birthday in our efforts to explain the significance of Christmas to children. And though it is true that Jesus was born into this world on Christmas (the exact day likely unknown), we see in John 1 that Jesus was there from the beginning with God because He was God.

What can follow then is a endless discussion with a child navigating the difficult theological topics of the trinity, incarnation and the eternal nature of the Lord:

“I thought Jesus was born on Christmas. It’s His birthday, right?”

“Well, yes. Jesus was born on Christmas into this world. But Jesus was there from the beginning. He always existed because He is God.”

“Wait. I thought God sent Jesus on Christmas.”

“He did. God the Father sent Jesus, God the Son, on Christmas.”

“Wait. How come Jesus is a baby when He has been there from the beginning of time?”

And on and on the discussion can go with “why?” interspersed every other second.

To help children (and adults) avoid theological confusion and better understand the significance of Christmas, we can begin moving away from saying that Christmas is Jesus’ birthday and start saying that Christmas is when Jesus, God the Son, came.

We can then go on to share why Jesus came.

On Christmas, God the Father sent Jesus, God the Son, into the world to rescue us from our sin. Jesus did this by taking our place, the punishment for our sin, at the cross. There, Jesus endured the wrath of God the Father for our sin and died as an offering for our sin. God the Father raised Jesus, God the Son, from the grave and as a result, we have new life with God the Father in Jesus.

On Christmas, Jesus came. He came to live in this world, but ultimately to die in our place.

On Christmas, Jesus came to die.

And if Jesus came on Christmas, He will come again.

Jesus will come again to make all things right and make all things new.

We know this for sure, because on Christmas, Jesus came.

So we celebrate Christmas because we celebrate that Jesus came to rescue us.

And we celebrate Christmas to remind each other that because Jesus came, He will come again.

“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)

by Pastor Victor Chen

During the Christmas season, much has been made about putting “Christ” back into “Christmas”. We make it a priority to actually remember the Lord rather than gifts, lights or fancy decorations.

However, we need to make it just as much a priority to remember the Lord during Thanksgiving. 

This time of the year has been overtaken with sales and deals (Black Friday comes early and isn’t even on Friday?) Thanksgiving can be more about family gatherings, food and being grateful in general (to whom it is not clear). 

But the whole purpose of the Thanksgiving holiday was to give thanks to the Lord. 

And though the community gathering of Pilgrims and Native Americans to give thanks to the Lord is not found in the Bible, the practice and exhortation to “give thanks to the Lord” is.

So just as we make it a point to say, “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays”, let’s remember to reference “the Lord” when we give thanks. 

Instead of saying, “I’m thankful for …”, let’s say, “I’m thankful to the Lord for …”

Instead of saying, “Be thankful”, let’s say, “Be thankful to the Lord”.

Instead of saying, “Give thanks”, let’s say, “Give thanks to the Lord”.

We make it a point to remember all that we should be thankful for. Let’s just remember who the source of all blessings is and who we should be thankful to (lest we end up thanking ourselves!). 

For just as much as the Christmas season is an opportunity to point others to Christ, the Thanksgiving holiday is an opportunity to point others to the Lord. 

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. 

He is good indeed.

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever! -Psalm 118:1 (ESV)

by Victor Chen

Nobody could have imagined a Christmas like this.

Being apart from extended family and friends feels cold and lonely. Having to stay with immediate family can be a difficult thing. 

We can feel bitter against the government for the order that brought us here.

There is ethnic tension and political distrust. 

There is fear and despair over the future.

Where are you, Lord?

Nobody could have imagined a Christmas like this.

Yet here it is, right in the Bible.

A Roman government order goes out that everybody be registered.

An unwed couple with child has to travel nearly 100 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem. 

There are no family and friends for them to stay with. Scandal surrounds their family situation. 

This unwed, expecting couple probably felt lonely, unwanted and cold.

And it was here that Christ the Lord came — to a lonely, unwanted, scandalous family situation amidst ethnic tension and political distrust between the Jewish and Romans.

So if you can identify with anything that was just described this Christmas, rejoice. 

Rejoice, because the Lord came on Christmas for people just like you.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. - John 1:9–13 (ESV)