Dr. Stan J. Tharp, MBA

Part of my personal Christmas celebration every year since I was in my mid twenties has been to listen to Handel’s Messiah (back in the day, this tradition started with vinyl records!) It is no wonder than that one of my favorite Christmas gifts this year was a pair of tickets our daughter gave us to attend Handel’s Messiah performed by the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra at the Schuster Center in downtown Dayton.

You can imagine how excited I was to hear it live. The prelude is one of my favorite pieces of music (yes, right up there with the 70’s rock I was raised on, or my favorite Christian artist, Stephen Curtis Chapman). Imagine my joy as the strings took over and set up an evening of classical music and timeless lyrics from the Bible.

Every lyric is quoted scripture, and in the beauty of the evening, as the musicians and vocalists re-created my annual album experience, I was once again struck with the words, and the original meaning of Christmas. (More on that in a moment).

This year I had a second similar experience being reminded of the original meaning of Christmas. This time, it was through one of my favorite comedians, Nate Bargatze (also recommended by our daughter several years ago…’mom, dad you guys are gonna love this comedian!’) You can go on Youtube to see the comedy sketch I am referring to that was part of his Christmas special this December.

They re-enacted a manger scene with the famous characters, Mary, Joseph, a baby Jesus, an angel (played by Nate), and wise men. Their dialogue is both hilarious, convicting and sad. Watch it (I won’t spoil it for you with details), but suffice it to say, based on our modern celebrations of Christmas…we have drifted a long way from the importance and impact of the birthday of Jesus.

Let me close referring back to the convicting reminder I got listening to Handel’s Messiah. Hundreds of Bible verses make up the lyrics quoted directly from scripture (I assume the King Jame’s Version). The original Good News of Christmas cut through the dreaded darkness of sin that covers humanity, offering hope instead of the horrific judgement of iniquity that mankind deserves. Handel’s Messiah cries out for celebration because we can have forgiveness of sins through the life and death of this holy baby. The score then takes listeners through the tortured death of Jesus as foretold by the prophet Isaiah…”He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” (Isaiah 53:3). Finally the masterpiece hits a crescendo with the famed hallelujah chorus celebrating a New Heaven and a new Earth made possible by almighty God and the work of His son.

With our busy celebrations behind us, perhaps we can now keep in mind that this is what Christmas is all about. I love all the decorations, gifts, songs and specials…but I can not forget, Christmas is because I am a sinner, and I need forgiveness, or else I’m lost and eternally damned. As I leave the Christmas season behind me for yet another year, my own attitudes, thoughts and behaviors will remind me…I need Jesus. Not for the primary purpose of fixing and blessing my life and providing the next ‘breakthrough’ from my problems. No, I need Jesus, and all the forgotten hope of Christmas, because “Unto us is (was) born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Handel quoting Luke 2:11)…and I need saving very, very much…today, and every day, including Christmas…until I get to Heaven..totally by the grace of God.