For every Christian believer, Christmas is a time of celebration – but in a world moving further away from Christianity, focus on the greatest gift ever given is more important than ever.
Neil Johnson was joined by Stu Miller, Director of Train to Proclaim, to discuss the changing perspectives of Christmas in our society today.
“The way people are viewing Christmas is a view of our society, which is becoming more secular,” Miller shared with the audience. “There is a tendency to push away religious beliefs…a lot of people don’t give Jesus another thought [during Christmas].”
Miller shared his concern over the ever-increasing commercialism of Christmas, stating, “Christmas is a time of year where it’s a boom for retailers, and we want to support them, but this commercialism is not what Christmas is about…[Christians have] slowly been pushed out of society and become almost irrelevant.”
“I think to some degree, the world doesn’t mind the picture of the baby…they don’t like so much the image of Jesus on the Cross – the bloody Jesus – they don’t like that transition,” stated Miller. “He didn’t just come to be a baby, He came to grow up, to die…there was a reason for Him coming.”
As long as we keep Jesus in the manger it’s okay.”
“Christmas is about Jesus coming to earth to die for us…He was born to die,” Miller emphasised. “The significance of the incarnation is just not there…once you understand the full message of the gospel it all makes sense.”
“This Christmas is about Jesus, and about taking it back to its original meaning.”
To hear more about how you can share the true meaning of Christmas, as well as more about how Christmas has become a secular celebration, listen to the full interview below.
Tune into 20Twenty and join the conversation with Neil Johnson, weekdays on Vision Christian Radio. Click here for your local times.
More from 20Twenty
The Spiritual Art Of Business
As Christians, many of us view our careers as a sacred and purposeful journey that extends beyond the daily routine.
Undermining The Meaning Of Christmas
Some Werribee shoppers were upset as their local shopping centre decorated for Christmas with the message: Merry Everything.
Nurturing Faith And Community
Balancing the demands of our fast-paced world and finding time for Bible study and connecting with fellow believers is a challenge.
Christian Health and Welfare
Effectively embracing God’s teachings in today’s culture can be challenging for Christians. What influence do education, health and welfare have in shaping how families build a strong biblical foundation?
Feature image via Shutterstock.
