Whence the Christmas Spirit?

Martin Luther on Christmas Charity

During the season of Advent, Christians all over the world prepare their hearts to celebrate the key turning point in history. But we were subjected to Christmas decorations on sale before Thanksgiving, as economic operatives prepared for another seasonal carnival of materialism sugar-coated with cultural mythos and vague feelings of goodwill, after which we can go back to partisan bickering and tearing our nation apart.

Sorry to be so cynical, but a humanistic, man-centered Christmas will never last, despite all the Hallmark movies and platitudes about the “Christmas spirit.”

Martin Luther shows us a more excellent way. In a sermon for Christmas Day, published in the 1500s, this former monk reminds us that the true “Christmas spirit” should last all year long. Jesus was the second person of the Trinity. As the Son of God, he became man, and was born into human history, to make atonement for sin and to inject the life-giving Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) into all of humanity as the Holy Spirit works through every Christian. The birth of Jesus Christ was the beginning of a series of events that would transform the world by bringing into it the Kingdom of God. We have the privilege of participating in this process. For Luther, we don’t really understand Christmas if we don’t care for the poor and love our neighbor as ourselves–all year long!

Here’s part of Luther’s Christmas Day sermon:

Now let every one examine himself in the light of the Gospel and see how far he is from Christ, what is the character of his faith and love. There are many who are enkindled with dreamy devotion, when they hear of such poverty of Christ, are almost angry with the citizens of Bethlehem, denounce their blindness and ingratitude, and think, if they had been there, they would have shown the Lord and his mother a more becoming service, and would not have permitted them to be treated so miserably. But they do not look by their side to see how many of their fellow men need their help, and which they let go on in their misery unaided. Who is there upon earth that has no poor, miserable, sick, erring ones, or sinful people around him? Why does he not exercise his love to those? Why does he not do to them as Christ has done to him?

Before we condemn the people of Bethlehem, let’s examine our own hearts. Luther says that we would treat Christ the same way that we treat the poor right now.

He continues:

It is altogether false to think that you have done much for Christ, if you do nothing for those needy ones. Had you been at Bethlehem you would have paid as little attention to Christ as they did; but since it is now made known who Christ is, you profess to serve him. Should he come now and lay himself in a manger, and would send you word that it was he, of whom you now know so much, you might do something for him, but you would not have done it before. Had it been positively made known to the rich man in the Gospel, to what high position Lazarus would be exalted, and he would have been convinced of the fact, he would not have left him lie and perish as he did.

It’s easy to judge people in the past, or the characters in biblical narratives. We wouldn’t reject Christ! We would take care of homeless Lazarus, stinking up the side of the road, begging for food. But Luther won’t let us get away with that self-righteous attitude:

Therefore, if your neighbor were now what he shall be in the future, and lay before you, you would surely give him attention. But now, since it is not so, you beat the air and do not recognize the Lord in your neighbor, you do not do to him as he has done to you.  (Collected Sermons of Martin Luther, vol. 1, p. 155; online edition, pp. 149-150).

Luther reminds us that the “Christmas spirit” should animate and motivate us all year long. Christ came as the Light into a world of darkness. Through our love, care, and preaching the Word of Truth, we can–and must–carry that light into every dark corner of this world.

Faith & Works

Sometimes, Luther, and Protestants, are caricatured as not believing in the importance of good works. After all, if we are simply saved by faith, who needs good works? Luther will have none of this. In a sermon for the first Sunday in Advent, Luther details the interrelationship between faith and works: “Such a faith will work in you love for Christ and joy in him, and good works will naturally follow. If they do not, faith is surely not present; for where faith is, there the Holy Ghost is and must work love and good works.”^[1] Moreover, this faith in God is expressed in love for our neighbor: “We receive Christ not only as a gift by faith, but also as an example of love toward our neighbor, whom we are to serve as Christ serves us. Faith brings and gives Christ to you with all his possessions. Love gives you to your neighbor with all your possessions.”^[2]

The good works that flow from true faith are intensely practical. Luther exhorts: “You shall give yourself up to [your neighbor] altogether, with all you have, the same as Christ did not simply pray or fast for you.”^[3] This does not mean just giving alms or dropping coins in the Salvation Army pot on our way into Wal-Mart:

Thus it is not your good work that you give alms or that you pray, but that you offer yourself to your neighbor and serve him, wherever he needs you and every way you can, be it with alms, prayer, work, fasting, counsel, comfort, instruction, admonition, punishment, apologizing, clothing, food, and lastly with suffering and dying for him. Pray, where are now such works to be found in Christendom?^[4]

How do we make this practical this Christmas season? How do we choose among the many various worthy organizations, churches, and nonprofits all clamoring for our money at this time of year? Here are a few resources to help you make sure your dollars are effective: