Christmas Features and Figures
By Jerry Batson, Th.D.
Special to The Alabama Baptist
Some of the common features and figures made prominent in our Christmas celebrations can serve as pointers that lead us back to their counterparts in the biblical record of Christ’s birth.
Among such present-day figures found in programs and pageants are people dressed as shepherds, angels and wise men. Some of the common features in our celebrations include singing carols, entertaining guests, exchanging gifts, decorating a tree and stringing lights.
In this month that brings us to another Christmas season Theology 101 will follow some of these features and figures back into Scripture to think anew about their significance in Christ’s coming and in our Christian living.
This week we begin by thinking about angels and carols.
‘Good tidings of great joy’
Children dressed as angels often appear in Christmas pageants. When we look again at the biblical account of the first Christmas we encounter angels who visited shepherds as they tended their flocks near Bethlehem. The account tells of an angel of the Lord who appeared to shepherds: “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10–11). Might we not say that sharing God’s good news is an angelic thing to do?
Our Christmas worship typically includes the singing of familiar Christmas carols. Behind this cherished practice is the biblical record that a choir of angels suddenly joined the angel of the Lord. Those heavenly visitors appeared singing heaven’s praise to God: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:13–14).
The message brought by the messenger angel to the shepherds reminds us that as Christians we also have a message to share. Our message is one that causes singing and praise when experienced and when shared.
We have a Savior and we are under a divine mandate to bear witness to Him to the ends of the earth. From the caroling angels we are reminded that as Christians we have the highest reasons for being praising people.
Our message and our praising are not merely for the Christmas season. The message is to be shared everywhere to everyone all the time. Such is our missionary mandate from the Christ who came at Christmas.
May Christmas celebrations again this year make their impact on the joy of our hearts and the extension of our message.
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