Watch Weekend Sermon - Entries written by Craig Turnbull

Every year it seems this little letter “X” causes so much trouble, and people inside and out of the church often get polarized by the discussion.  On one hand there are those who don’t see it as a big deal, and on the other there’s the crowd who rise up and shout out, “Don’t take Christ out of Christmas!”  We blame the media, we blame each other, and we blame the advertisers who put it out there.

So what is the big deal? What is this little trouble-making consonant all about?  Is it really trying to destroy the meaning of Christmas for us who celebrate the birth of Christ?

At the risk of getting vehement attacks from both sides, I offer up my thoughts. 

First, let me explain what "X-mas" doesn’t mean:  In it’s origin, “X-mas” is not a crossing out of the name of Christ.  Interestingly enough, the “X” doesn’t equate to anything in English at all.  In fact, the symbol it represents comes from the Greek alphabet and represents the letter “chi” (pronounced “k-ee” or “k-eye” depending on where you’re from).  So what we have is not a stroke through the name of Christ, but a Greek letter.  In truth this Greek letter “chi” actually corresponds to the first letter in the name of “Christ,” and sits as an abbreviation of this messianic title.

Considering that for most of human history, pens, paper, and all manner of writing implements were for the rich at best and always a premium, abbreviations have long ago become a way of life.  The word "Christ" and its compounds, including "Christmas", have been abbreviated in English for at least the past 1,000 years, long before the modern "Xmas" was commonly used.  Abbreviations go back even further in other languages like the ancient Greek our New Testaments were originally written in.  Back in my seminary days before I had access to a laptop (translation: poor student), I often abbreviated heavily in order to keep up with my notes.  Was I “taking Christ out” of my studies?  No, I was just abbreviating.  I knew what it meant.

Okay, so “X-mas” is benign, right?  We can use it all over the place, right?  Not necessarily. 

Here we come to the other side of the pendulum. Often I find believers who advocate the “X-mas” side of the coin know the truths I’ve just shared.  They know it stands for a Greek letter, they know that the letter stands for the title of “Christ,” and they fire back that they haven’t taken Christ out of Christmas, he’s right there in the “X”! But here’s my question:  Is this kind of discussion the best exercise of our Christian freedom?  Is this really the best "hill to die on"?

Can we really say that we’re striving for unity and peace with one another when we, sometimes unnecessarily, hold too tightly to our liberty?  Isn’t this really what Paul was talking about in 1 Corinthians 8:9 when he stressed our constant need to care for the brothers and sisters around us? If it irritates my brothers or sisters so much is it really too much to write “Christ,” when you think of the holiday?  Should we really squabble about a thing like this?

Not only is this massively important issue of unity at stake, but also the world is watching. Does the world outside our door know that the “X” stands for “Christ”?  Probably not.  Is the world constantly striving against God in seeking to eradicate the knowledge of Jesus from everything, not just Christmas.  Absolutely!  Why then would we look to get rid of it?

Here’s my suggestion:  For the sake of striving for peace and unity in the body, and for the sake of public acknowledgment of Jesus, go ahead and take the small effort to write five extra letters every time you think of CHRISTmas!  

and hey, Merry Christmas everyone!

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace 1 Peter 4:10

1. Examine Scripture. That’s our first step.  In order for us to discern which gifts we may or may not have, it’s helpful to know what the gifts actually are.  The Bible has some significant locations where these gifts are highlighted, and you’ll need to read all three to get the complete picture: Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 1 Corinthians 12:27-31, Ephesians 4:11.  Take some time and read through the passages highlighting the gifts, anchoring your mind in God’s Word and praying through what you find.
2. The second thing we can do to determine our giftedness is to take a spiritual gifts inventory.  These are often helpful tools that survey our likes and dislikes tracking what could quite possibly be our spiritual gift(s).  Harvest has one of these tools online and it can be downloaded and printed by clicking HERE.  Taking about 20 minutes to go this is time well spent.
3. Third, seek the input of mature believers around you as they observe and assess your life watching in many ways.  As they witness your life with family, in service, your struggles, your victories and even the way you spend your free time, they can have much to say about where God has gifted you.  Maturity can speak volumes and be super helpful in your discovery.
4. When you’ve done all these all that’s left to do is JUMP IN!  Remember that the gifts you’ve been given are not to make you look great or feel great, they’re given to you to build up the body of Christ.  Without use, the gifts become hoarded goods and the church misses out big time.  See where you can serve and dive in.  When you serve in a ministry confirmation of your gifts can come quickly as you pitch in, and likewise the Lord may use your service to confirm to you what your gifts aren’t.

But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.  Ephesians 4:7