Christmas and the 4th Jesus

What does it take to get ready for Christmas?  Lights? Tree? Gifts? Whatever you do, don’t forget the fourth Jesus!

To maximize your Christmas season and experience you must encounter the fourth Jesus.  This encounter with the fourth Jesus is the only way that Christmas has any meaning beyond the sentimental emotional feelings that we get this time of year.  The feelings we get by looking at a Norman Rockwell painting; the wholesome, heart-warming pictures of Christmas in a bygone era in America.  There is nothing wrong with that; I am as nostalgic as the next guy.  But Christmas is more than a great occasion to sell merchandise and have feelings of warm sentimentality, to do that we have to understand the fourth Jesus.  Once you meet the fourth Jesus a great Christmas is no longer dependent on the commercial or romantic trappings we often use to describe a great Christmas.  Let’s talk about Jesus one, two, and three.

The first Jesus is baby Jesus in the manger.  This highly fictionalized and popular Jesus is the first choice of the repulsive Ricky Bobby in the movie Talladega Nights.  Many people like baby Jesus best.  What’s not to love?   The cool blue background of Christmas cards blending with twinkling stars and Mary and Joseph, so young but so wise, keeping company with clean sheep, in a clean manger, surrounded by clean straw.  Don’t forget the shepherds, angels that look like girls, and maybe even a collection of diverse kings.  This first Jesus elicits from us all the happy feelings of holidays.  And if you listen carefully you might hear Bing Crosby or Burl Ives singing in the background.

The second Jesus is the cool Jesus.  This fictionalized Jesus is everyone’s bro.  He wears a robe with His sandals and has long hair, which is perfectly kept in a carefree way.  He gives talks on mountainsides, mostly about being cool or at least nice to each other.  He is cool enough to hang with bad people and not give them grief about what they do.  You can find him munching fish and bread, which are no doubt organic.  His main thing seems to be to hang with people and do a lot of hiking to get around. 

The third Jesus is victim Jesus.  It is easy to feel sorry for this characterization of Jesus.  “The man” is oppressing Him.   You might call him “poor, pitiful Jesus”.  Victimized by an oppressive regime He is beaten and abused.   Don’t you feel sorry for this Jesus?  He only makes an appearance at Easter, but He is not as cuddly or cute as the Easter Bunny.  Because of that He doesn’t get much attention except when He is a handy, talking point about the need for some perceived political reform.

The fourth Jesus is the one that sweeps away these silly characterizations and fictional versions of Jesus.  The fourth Jesus gives meaning and unity to the babe in the manger, the traveling teacher, and the crucified innocent One.  As we approach December 25^th the way to prepare is to understand this fourth Jesus.  This fourth Jesus is described this way:

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him, which no one knows except Himself.  He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  And the armies, which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.   From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

No one will “ooh and ah” at this Jesus they way they might at the babe in Bethlehem.  No one approaches this Jesus as if He was their homeboy and they were planning to hang out for an afternoon.  The emotion that comes to mind at this Jesus is not poor abused and battered victim.  While these sentiments may not be inherently evil they are a faint wisp of the proper reaction to Jesus.  

The best way to prepare for Christmas is by preparing for His second coming, in repentance, reverence, holy living and most of all by loving our soon to return King.