Gospel

Counterfeit Christmas

by Jeff Drinnan
11/12/20
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"When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, 'Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father's house into a market!' " -John 2: 13-16

Nothing is new under the sun. This year, even before Halloween, around the same time as Reformation Sunday, the modern money changers started ramping up Christmas commercialism, upstaging Thanksgiving, and inundating us with their incessant commerialism, desecrating the Holy Holiday, using it mainly to make a buck. Stores and the TV are spewing out the trite, hackeyed Christmas music - music that has nothing to do with the real reason for the season.

Stores are being flooded with Christmas goods, as pallets block up the back room and the store floor, where it's becoming to look a more like commercial Christmas, making it hard for customers to shop and workers to do their job. It is also an accident waiting to happen, dispite all the safety rules and lectures. Goods are coming is so wantonly that a store is having trouble stocking them and waiting on customers! Greed causes problems.

Like drug addiction, the promise of worldly Christmas bliss turns empty. People are flocking to the stores like mad hatters! Speaking of drug addiction, one of the leaders at a Celebrate Recover meeting said that his family either minimized or in some years, cut out all the Christmas decor, as it could create static and cloud over the real message of Christmas. Materialism, like drug addiction, is just another idol.

In Guyana, South America, a limeric is played on the radio at Christmas time: "Christmas comes once a year. And every man must have his share. Only poor Willy in the jail, drinking sour ginger beer" Actually, I'd rather be in the jail with Willy than be accosted by the incessant commerical Christmas drivel! Maybe I could do what the bum in O'Henry's "The Cop And The Anthem" did. To find a warm, safe place for the winter, he purposely tried to get himself arrested. But he couldn't!

On the Internet, I found a Christian parody of 'Twas The Night Before Christmas. which shines a bright light on the modern, crass commercial Christmas:

Twas the night before Jesus came and all throught the house
Not a creature was praying not one in the house
Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care
In hopes that Jesus would not come there.

The children were dressing to crawl into bed
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And mom in her rocker with baby on her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.

When out of the east there arose such a clatter
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash

When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray
I knew in a moment this must be the day.

The light of His face made me cover my head
It was Jesus, returning just like he said
And though I possesed worldly wisdom and wealth
I cried when I saw Him, in spite of myself.

In The Book Of Life which He held in His hand
Was written the name of every saved man
He spoke not a word as he searched for my name
When He said "It's not here" my head hung in shame.

The people whose name had been written in love
He gathered to take to His Father above
With those who are ready He rose with out a sound
While all the rest were left standing around.

I fell to my knees but it was too late
I had waited too long and this sealed my fate
I stood and cried as they rose out of sight
Oh, if I had only been ready tonight.

In the words of the meaning is clear.
The coming of Jesus is drawing near.
There's only one life and when comes the last call
We'll find that the Bible was true after all.