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From the Archives: Christmas Clichés
by
Bill Dolack
You’ve heard the sayings before or seen them splashed on bumper stickers or coffee mugs: Jesus is the Reason for the Season and Keep Christ in Christmas. For many of us they’ve become little more than clichés rolled out every year on the day after Thanksgiving, then tucked away in a drawer once again on December 26.
But perhaps it’s time to put away the catchy phrases and clichés, and take a look at the Man behind it all. Jesus was born about 2,000 years ago, maybe on December 25, maybe not. The details of when really don’t matter in the big picture. All that matters is who He was . . . and is.
First, no one can deny that Jesus is the most influential man to walk the face of the earth. If you have any doubts at all, just look at the calendar. We are in the year 2001 A.D., anno domini, the year of our Lord. Time is not measured from the year of Roosevelt’s birth, or Caesar’s or Napoleon’s or Cleopatra’s. Without Jesus we’d be in the seventh millenium (or for you evolutionists, the 300,00th millenium or so).
Jesus continues to be the greatest teacher of all time? Want to know how to get along with that boss that really bugs you? Check out what Jesus has to say. Thinking about fudging just a bit on your taxes? He’s got something to say about that, too.
And Jesus was pretty much of a radical. He said, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. And, But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you. He even told those who wanted to follow Him 2,000 years ago (and us also) to sell their belongings and give the money to the poor. If that isn’t radical, I don’t know what is.
Jesus was also a healer. The blind would see, the lame walk (and even jump for joy!), and a number of people were raised from the dead. He certainly didn’t need an HMO!
But the thing that really sets Jesus apart from all the other religious and political leaders throughout history is this: He rose from the dead and is alive today. Buddha, Krishna, Mohammed, Mao, Caesar, and all the others died . . . and stayed dead. Jesus rose from the dead, exactly as He said He would, thus enabling man to become acceptable to God simply by believing.
Jesus isn’t just the reason for the season. He’s the reason for living.
Comments? Email us at letters@thevalleyamerican.com.
© 2008 The Valley American
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