I shared a quote from C.S. Lewis (no surprise there, right) and it really made me think about Christmas. It’s from the book Mere Christianity. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend. It’s a true gem. The quote is:
The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.
I came across this quote at the perfect moment. I was considering Christmas and all the joy that comes with it. I have been working, for a couple of years now, on how I’m going to explain Santa Clause when my daughter realizes he isn’t some magical fat man. All of this swirling in my head at one time was the perfect storm that broke my boat, thrashed me about, then tossed me up on the shore.
We focus on Christmas being Jesus’ birthday. We celebrate because God became man. He stepped down from his throne to save us from our sins. For the last few years, I have celebrated Christmas as the beginning of Easter. Christmas is the front 9, and Easter the back 9 or a faith filled golf course. None of these are wrong. I think there is something missing though.
Have you ever really contemplated our adoption into the family of God? I know I haven’t. When I look in the mirror, I do not see a son of God. That is the piece that has been missing for me.
It makes sense to me to continue celebrating Christmas in tandem with Easter because those are codependent. We cannot have Easter with Christmas. I have always (and rightly so) kept my focus on the work of Christ. I have done it to my detriment. I was so narrowly focused that I didn’t realize that Christ unified himself with humanity (of which I am a part of) and through faith in Christ we are adopted as sons and daughters of Christ. That means we live in the house, we sit at the table. We are not equal to Christ, but we are no longer equal with those outside. We are different now.
I think this is difficult for me because it is more of a legal difference than a physical one. If I were to suddenly grow 3 feet taller, I would feel that. If a dad adopts his step-daughter, she doesn’t feel any different. The only thing that’s different is that there is a piece of paper she can show that she belongs there. The incarnation is like our adoption papers. Christ incarnate is proof that we belong with Him, at his table. God will not send us away. If we go rabble rousing, the spiritual po-po will bring us back to our home address, which is with God. That’s a real difference.
I will admit that this is a half baked concept. I’m still wrestling with this. If you have any insight, I would love to hear it. I will probably put it on our list to talk through on the podcast too. I think grasping the concept of our adoption is big and I want to look in the mirror and see that.
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