Crazy stuff!

But how did it ever get hold of the incarnation?

It’s been one of the most successful ploys that the evil one has ever attempted. The goal? Obviously to distract us from the real thing. After all, who doesn’t want to be jolly?

But forget the diversion and distraction issue…let’s consider “jolliness” for a moment (If there is such a word). I’m not sure how a Brit responds to such sayings as those above in which the word jolly appears. He uses the word in other contexts, on non-Christmas occasions—for us Americans, the term seems to be reserved almost exclusively for Christmas. For the Brits, the word plays an intensive role: like when they say, “Have a jolly good time.”

When this intensive use occurs, there seems to be little problem understanding it—it simply means, “Have a very good time.” But a jolly old man saying “Ho ho ho,” is another matter. To be jolly seems to be happy, with a kind of roly-poly happiness. There is an element of giddiness-under-control as Santa leans back, slaps his belly, and utters his triple “Hos.” Beyond that, is there much more to it?

At any rate, reader let me wish you a jolly Incarnation Day! We should rejoice over it with near giddiness when we recognize what happened back there in Bethlehem so many years ago. Why are we so silent about it? Does Phillips Brooks’ hymn with the words “How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given,” wrongly influence us? Or Silent Night? Was it silent with all of those angels singing? With that troop of wise men from “afar” (probably, Persia) with their camels, and all the hoopla about their arrival going on? Come on. It was a noisy, joyous, dramatic, day! One that ought to make us nearly jump for joy whenever we recognize what it’s all about—Emmanuel! God with us, in the Person of His Son to save us. Let’s be jolly about this for all of the right reasons this year!

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“Huh?”

I said, “Merry W.S. Day! Are you ready for W.S. Day? Bought all your presents, hung all your finery, decorated your W.S. tree?

“Are you crazy?”

Certainly not!

“Well, then, what’s all this W.S. Day stuff?

What we would have if there had been no birth in Bethlehem of a Savior. Actually, without the name—what we do have in effect at what we call “Christmas.”

“Oh. I get it. But what’s the W.S. business all about?”

The Winter Solstice.

“Why focus on that as a substitute?”

Because it occurs December 21, and is close enough to be the replacement. Days begin to lengthen again, and we can all rejoice that the long winter is heading on its way toward spring.

“Oh I see now. That’s just about what Christmas is to many people—a jolly winter holiday on which we exchange gifts and party. “

And for some, a time for family to get together.

“Right.”

But, the true import of it all is missed by most. How many reflect much, if at all, about the fact that Jesus had come to put down the works of the devil, that He was here to offer Himself as the sacrificial Lamb of God to be slain for sinners, and so on?

“Not too many, I guess.”

Well, let’s be sure that we’re a part of the not too many this year. Let’s be merry for all the right reasons.

“Instead of making Christmas a W.S. Day?”

You’ve got it!

The Christian Counselor’s New Testament and Proverbs, translated by Jay Adams

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Do you really?

“Yep, as you always say.”

You know it only came once—at Bethlehem.

“Well, yeah . .. .but . .. .”

I know what you mean, but it’s strange how we want “it” more than once. When you say that, the question becomes, “What is it that you want to happen more often? Christ’s birth?” Or . . .

“OK. You’re right. I was thinking of all of the other things.”

Right. We have a background that it’s hard to alter, isn’t it?

“We do.”

But I wasn’t saying what I said to fuss at you; I wanted to make an important point.

“What’s that?”

I’m sure you appreciate and understand the incarnation, but suppose—just suppose—it did happen more than once.

“What?”

Suppose what took place back there in Bethlehem had to be repeated.

“Then what?”

That’s the question. What it would indicate is that what God did back there so many years ago wasn’t enough—something was incomplete.

“Then the Gospel – – -“

Right. The Gospel wouldn’t be the Gospel. Like those sacrifices that had to be offered again and again, Christ’s work would not have been complete.

“And, if it weren’t once-for-all we couldn’t even be sure we were saved?”

Can’t be sure— this is all speculation, of course—but it would seem so.

I guess I don’t want Christmas to come again, after all—at least the original one!

Me either.

The Christian Counselor’s New Testament and Proverbs, translated by Jay Adams

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