CHRISTMAS SYMBOLS

                   

 CHRISTMAS SYMBOLS   

    There are many Christmas symbols, but the one true symbol of
Christmas is hidden in history and scripture. To be sure, Christmas is the recognition of Christ's birth. It is a time of celebration, and we have many symbols dealing with the aspects of Christianity, Israel, culture, geography, politics, traitors, and many more issues. God wrapped all this up in a single package for us, but like a Christmas gift, we have to remove the wrapping to discover the identity of the gift.

    When I was younger, I accepted what appeared to be answers to problems or mysteries. I didn't realize the depth of meaning in Matt. 7:7-12. We are told to seek, to knock and it will be opened. It is the remainder of those verses that give us the real thrust of the reason Christ was born in Bethlehem. I accepted the reason given us in Luke 2:1-7, that tells us Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem because of a census. People had to register in their home precinct--city or town. Joseph and Mary were  of David's lineage, and their precinct was Bethlehem. That was enough for
me in my early years. Then, I became aware that God put  together several important things in a more complicated message that told a much broader story. His messages are like Christmas gifts--don't overlook any small packages because you've seen what's in the big package.

    At the time, I was getting up at  3am. so I could work on ministry
needs before beginning farm chores at 5am. On this particular day,
when I went to the downstairs office, I smelled the distinct odor of
fresh baking bread. I knew it well because it was one of the favorite
things I liked to do when I had the time: homemade bread. It has
always been a favorite food. We had not baked the previous day, nor
early that evening. The answer came, and it involved brief passages
from Exodus through the New Testament. God knows we have a
terrible time trying to understand His instructions, and He finally
gave us His Son to try and make things clear. Wannabe Christians
are continuing to change or add to Christ's directions. Nothing needs
to change, because we don't have the capacity to understand what
is already there for us.

    When Israel was delivered from bondage in Egypt, they began their
desert journey in the wilderness. Although they left Egypt burdened
with all kinds of plunder, they became dissatisfied soon after they
were on the way. God prepared them for the journey by telling them
to take supplies, cattle, and even slaves with them. They grumbled
because they didn't have some fresh vegetables or fruit to eat. They
missed the succulent melons, among other things. This did not please
God, who had told them He would take care of their needs. But, He
showed His merciful patience by giving them "manna from Heaven."
This was the bread of physical life. 

    Christians follow in the footsteps of Israel in that we are never
satisfied. We have God's guarantee, but we keep doubting things
will be okay. The last words Christ gave us before going to His Father's
house was "lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
(Matt. 28:20) God blessed Israel over and over, but they always forgot
where the blessings came from. Christians are making the same
mistakes, believing man can solve complex problems. We ignore
the repeated teaching that we will be okay as long as we have God
(Christ) as our guide.

    We had no fresh baked bread, which made me dissatisfied. I knew
there was more to the story, so I did some scripture checking. The
first thing I understood was that God always came through. When
man makes a mistake, God comes along and applies a band aide.
The New Testament takes us through the trip to Bethlehem and the
birth of Christ. The odor of fresh baked bread just wouldn't go away.
Matt. 4:3-4 tells of Satan's temptation of Jesus, when Satan tells
Jesus to turn stones into bread. We're back on the subject of food
and provision. Jesus gives us the epic answer we should be living
by. "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matt. 4:4)

     God is making it clear here that without spiritual food, we will
never be satisfied. Wealthy business people, rock stars, entertainers,
politicians and common people are frequently unhappy with their
lives, even with terrific perks. There are early deaths and tragedy
among those lacking spiritual food. Now, God's details concerning
the odor of bread becomes understandable. He sent His Son to tell
us in simple language how to be sustained with the bread of life.

    He could have announced the spiritual need of food with blinking
neon lights, but He instead made the revelation interesting by using
Christ's birthplace as the billboard. You see, the meaning of His
birthplace is simply BREAD. Christ came to give us the condensed
word of God through His example and teaching. The word of God is
like fresh baked bread. It has a marvelous odor, it sustains life and
is not expensive. While bread nourishes the physical body, Christ
brought us The Way to have spiritual nourishment. Christ told Satan
physical gain could not replace spiritual gain. 

    To receive physical nourishment, we must have ingredients and
directions to bake bread. Of course, there are many other foods 
that sustain physical life. There are many actions that sustain your
spiritual life. Your spiritual life has much to do with your physical
well being. Prayer enters in when your spiritual life is alive and real.
Christians frequently believe they are the only believers who receive
answers to prayer. Scripture tells us God does things for all people.
Matt. 5:45 tells us God has the sun shine and the rain fall on the just
and unjust. 

    Christ came to sacrifice Himself to give us eternal life. We have to
make a commitment to Him and follow His teaching. That teaching is
the food we need. To make our own rules is like taking up a diet that
is unhealthy for us. To do this is to make ourselves spiritually ill. It
can mean we never committed in our heart to follow Him. It can mean
we only THINK we are saved and have eternal life. What we eat
physically has a direct effect on our physical  AND spiritual health.
There are natural and formulated medicines to help us physically
and mentally. The only medicine to help us spiritually is the word of
God given us in scripture through the teaching of Jesus Christ. There
is only one way for spiritual growth, and it comes through the symbol
of the Christmas setting---Bethlehem, the location of the bread of life.

Rev. Walbear