An Iconoclastic Christmas
December 4, 2009 Category: Message
Right now, you are probably asking, “What is an
iconoclastic Christmas?” The writer of an article entitled, “An
Iconoclastic Christmas,” gives a better illustration than I can
so here is what he says, “God is an image-breaker who sees
things differently, shatters human traditions and makes
contributions that are creative and constructive. He’s a
true iconoclast.”
Do you get it — yet? Well, how about this, “Christmas turns
us into iconoclasts. Yes, iconoclasts. “Image-breakers.”
We celebrate an Iconoclastic Christmas according to Luke’s
gospel when we accept that God “has shown strength with his
arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and
lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty” (Luke 1 vv. 51-53).
To celebrate an Iconoclastic Christmas is to worship an
Iconoclastic God. But image-breakers aren’t devoted to
destruction, as violent as the word iconoclast might sound. In
fact, the work they do is usually quite creative and
constructive. According to the magazine Fast Company
(October 2008), iconoclasts do what tradition-minded people
say cannot be done, and they do it by seeing things
differently.”
Christmas is all about seeing things differently. The child that
Mary is carrying: He’ll be a mighty king but not a traditional
one. Instead, he will be the Messiah God uses to bring down
the powerful from their thrones and lift up the lowly (v. 52).
He will be a king for the people.
An iconoclastic Christmas shatters our expectations and
pushes us outside the box — including the beautifully
decorated holiday box. It blows away our understandings of
what usually happens when two women gather to support one
another. It helps us see things differently — to see a hug
between Mary and Elizabeth as a meeting between Jesus and
John, a kick in the belly as a fist-bump of recognition, a song
of praise as a celebration of God’s ability to turn the world
upside down.
There’s a new Christmas Song from Resound Worship
entitled “We Worship a Wonderful Saviour.’ Here are the
words from one of the verses,
We worship a wonderful Saviour
He’s the author of life, what was there at the first
The creator who entered creation
Is the miracle child of a virgin birth. (Joel Payne)
For all those Darwinian’s out there that’s iconoclastic!
So what could it mean for us to celebrate an iconoclastic
Christmas? Let’s get creative and constructive, seeing things
not for what they are but for what they might be. Mary invites
us to see things differently and to find true joy in a new place
— in the gift of God’s favour. God really loves you.
This Christmas season become iconoclasts — imagebreakers.
I pray that with the Holy Spirit’s help that you will
see things differently, by making contributions that are
creative and constructive. Let the meaning of Christmas “God
becoming man and moving into our neighbourhood for our
benefit” push you out of the comfort of your box so that we
may experience what Mary and Elizabeth did when they met.
An iconoclastic Christmas is more than a season of
benevolence toward the hungry and poor. It’s a way of life,
with specific actions year-round that assist the marginalized
to embrace new opportunities and changes for themselves.
The call to action this Christmas is for the true iconoclasts of
the church to become doorkeepers who hold open the doors
for people who are traditionally shut out (the least, the lost
and the left out).
Thank you for your generous giving to TSP throughout the
year. May God truly bless you as you take on the challenge to
celebrate an iconoclastic Christmas.
We worship a wonderful Saviour
In the form of this child is the fullness of God.
His infinity hides in his weakness
His divinity beats in his human heart (Joel Payne)
May the Lord of all creation bless you as you worship a
wonderful Saviour this Christmas season.
(Full article found at Homiletics Online — Fall 2009 edited and added
material by Michael Zita)