Tag Archives: materialism

Jesus is the reason for this?

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In the midst of our culture’s materialistic fervor during the “holiday season” does it help for believers to chine in, “Jesus is the reason for the season”? I think Warren Cole Smith — (writing in WORLD Magazine) draws a helpful line for us….

I consider myself a “fellow warrior” with some of these folk. By that I mean that we agree on many things, and I would normally join them in their “culture war” fights. But on this one, please allow me to offer a dissenting view to the prevailing “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” mentality.

First of all, Jesus is most certainly not the reason for the orgiastic spending spree modern Christmas has become. I certainly think anyone should be able to say “Merry Christmas” if he wants to. But given what this holiday has become, there’s a part of me – a big part of me — that wants to keep the Jesus I worship as far away from this commercial debauchery as possible.

Of course the incarnation of Jesus, the Son of God, is the reason Christians celebrate Christmas — including the giving of gifts to one another. But this celebration of the incarnation is not an excuse for such Christless-commercialism and materialism (seeking happiness in possessions).

Remember the Word of Him who took on flesh and dwelt among us (Hebrews 13:5), “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”

— pdb

A pathetic sight….

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Here’s a great combination of biblical insights from Arthur Pink, (“The Rest of Christ”)….

“Come unto Me all you who labor and are heavy laden–and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

“I will give you rest.” What a claim to make! To impart rest of soul to another, lies beyond the power of the most exalted creature. Neither Confucius, Buddha, nor Mohammed ever made such a claim as this!

As Christ is the only One who can bestow rest of soul–so there is no true rest to be found apart from Him. The creature cannot impart it. The world cannot communicate it. We ourselves cannot, by any efforts of our own, manufacture it. One of the most pathetic sights in this world, is to behold the unregenerate, vainly seeking happiness and contentment in the things of time and sense–and finding that these are all broken cisterns which can hold no water. They are like the poor woman mentioned in Mark 5:26, who “had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better–she grew worse!”

What is the nature of this “rest” which Christ gives to all who truly come to Him? It is a spiritual rest, a satisfying rest, “rest for the soul” as the Savior declares later in this passage. It is such a rest as this world can neither give–nor take away.

garbage1It is a rest from that vain and wearisome quest, which engages and absorbs the sinner, before the Spirit of God opens his eyes to see his folly–and moves him to seek after the true riches. It is indeed pitiful–to behold those who are made for eternity–wasting their time and energies wandering from object to object, searching for that which cannot satisfy them–only to be vexed by repeated and incessant disappointments. And thus it is with all–until they come to Christ, for He has written over all the pursuits and pleasures of this world, “Whoever drinks of this water–shall thirst again!” (John 4:13)

Forcibly was that fact exemplified by the case of Solomon, who was provided with everything which the carnal heart could desire, and who gratified his lusts to the full, only to find that, “Behold, all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind!” (Eccl. 1:14). It is from this vexation of spirit, that Christ delivers His people, for He declares “whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him–shall never thirst!” (John 4:14)

pdb