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If you’re a Christian, you probably care a lot about what Jesus likes most about Christmas. After all, it’s the celebration of His birthday. It’s HIS day. So, when I got thinking about what I like most about Christmas, I thought about the importance of knowing what Jesus likes most about Christmas.
The opposite is important also—what does Jesus like least about Christmastime. So I’d like to take a shot at both of these topics in this article.
First, here’s my hunch about what Jesus likes most about Christmas:
1. People learning about who He is.
Jesus is the most famous person in the world. However, He’s likely one of the most misunderstood persons ever. Therefore, as He watches from heaven, I can imagine that one of the things Jesus likes most about Christmas is that more people learn about who He is.
Many are learning about Jesus at Christmas, even those who don’t necessarily want to. As I write, just yesterday a Jewish atheist was a guest in our home, listening to Christmas carols playing in our living room, seeing our manger scene and learning tidbits about Jesus’ birth. He said afterwards that he is beginning to pray!
Perhaps he and others are seeing Old Testament verses of prophecy that foretold Jesus’ coming in a miraculous way hundreds of years before His birth. Hopefully they’re learning the purpose of Christ’s coming, which is summarized in the most well-known verse of the Bible:
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
2. His birthday divides all of history.
BC = Before Christ
AD = Ano Domini, Latin for “in the year of our Lord.” This refers to the year Jesus was born—the first Christmas!
Jesus’ life is the means we use to divide all of history and to date our years. Isn’t that remarkable! I think that probably one thing Jesus likes most about Christmas \ is that it is a recognition that He is the center and focal point of all history!
Of course, this truth also helps point to the fact that He was not just another baby. He was the one and only God-man, as explained in Philippians 2:6-7:
“Though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” (ESV)
3. Special worship services: concerts, Christmas eve services, plays, musicals, etc.
I picture Jesus looking down at many of the Christmas events and loving the worship, adoration and recognition of who He is that comes at Christmas. As the Almighty Son of God, Lord of the universe, He certainly deserves all of it!
Much of this is a sincere and correct understanding of who Jesus was, while some comes without a true comprehension of the Messiah. This is to be expected:
“He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:11-12 KJV)
In particular, Jesus surely loves the Christmas carols which honor him, such as “O Holy Night,” featured in this article by my friend and guest writer Beth Harris.
Now, here’s my hunch about what Jesus likes least about His birthday celebration called Christmas:
1. Rituals without relationship.
For far too many, singing carols, going to Christmas concerts and Christmas worship services are merely rather meaningless customs of Christmas. Many won’t understand or care to understand the Lord of Christmas. Perhaps they will “do their duty” by attending a Christmas service, but it won’t mean much.
We sometimes call these people CEO’s, meaning they are Christmas and Easter Only attenders. Jesus went so far as to say about people such as these: “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16 ESV)
Jesus has strong negative feelings about rituals without relationship. What He wants and came for, was to have a relationship with each person who will receive him. Click HERE to learn how to have a relationship with Christ.
2. Children raised to think Christmas is about Santa Claus, Frosty, Rudolph, presents, candy and so on.
Everyone is free to choose to follow Christ or reject Him. But a tragedy is when children are led to believe that Christmas is about Santa and presents, and never given the opportunity to know what the celebration is really about.
Here’s a warning about not helping children to know the Truth about Jesus: “If anyone should cause one of these little ones to lose his faith in me, it would be better for that person to have a large millstone tied around his neck and be drowned in the deep sea.” (Matthew 18:6 GN)
This is a sober warning from Jesus Himself for parents, grandparents and all of us! Many want to be neutral about Jesus, however He warned that there is no neutral saying, “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” (Matthew 12:30 NLT)
3. Commercialization without commemoration.
A friend recently went to do some banking at Wells Fargo bank here in California, USA. When finished, he wished the teller “Merry Christmas.” The teller responded with a tepid “Happy Holidays.” But my friend said, “It’s Christmas, aren’t you going to wish me ‘Merry Christmas’ as well.” The teller responded that he was not allowed to, by order of management, since it might “offend someone.” My friend said, “What if you offend me by not saying ‘Merry Christmas’ back to me.” The teller was unphased. So, my friend went to the manager and got the same response.
In much of the world Christmas is BIG business—more money spent, more profits earned. The Christmas season makes the rest of the year financially viable. Without Christmas, businesses would fail. So, consider the audacity of those who don’t want to “offend” someone by saying “Merry Christmas.”
This is certainly a classic case of biting the hand that feeds you!
In Luke 19 we’re told how this kind of rejection saddened Jesus and caused him to even cry: “But as he [Jesus] came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. ‘How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.’” (Luke 19:41-42 NLT)
Conclusion:
In conclusion, here’s a question to consider: “On His birthday will you give Him what Jesus likes most about Christmas?” To do so, go HERE to learn how to receive Christ and give Him the honor He truly deserves this Christmas. In the process you’ll receive eternal life!
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Additional resources about related subjects on this site:
Podcast: What is the virgin birth? Vlog (video with Mark & Carolyn 2015) Christmas Greeting
My WORST Christmas EverQuote card: Funny Santa Letter
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