More Jesus

In addition to writing articles, I also read through other authors’ writing.  I tend to focus on those on topics of faith, but there’s a lot of other content out there, as well.  One day, while reading, I came across an article called, “Christmas Without Christ Is Just mas (a reprise)”.  In this article, the author Sarah (who you can learn more about on her site) makes the following statement:

“…if you remove the word Christ from the word Christmas, all you have left is mas, which isn’t even a word.”

https://godsnotthroughwithmeyet.com/2019/12/19/christmas-without-christ-is-just-mas-a-reprise/

I agree that this is a wise observation: when we don’t have Christ, no amount of celebration, parties, or friends will fundamentally make our lives better.  I imagine this scenario as a bunch of people wandering around the malls and streets during the Christmas season, bleating the word “mas” over and over (like zombies), as they shuffle through chores that they are socially expected to complete, but without the hope of Jesus Christ.  This “mas” is a real mess: obligation without purpose, and duty without hope.

Don’t get me wrong: I enjoy sharing gifts with my family, and spending time together.  Even those relationships are imperfect, though, and do not fulfill the need that my soul has for something better in Christ.

I wondered if I could build on this idea a little more, though: Back in my Spanish class (and reinforced by a Taco Bell ad campaign, as well as help from Google Translate), “más” means “more”.  Since the accent over the “á” makes it a different word, Sarah’s statement is still true: “mas” still doesn’t mean anything.  (In fact, my guess is that the word was originally “mass”, to reflect a religious service, but bear with me, here.)

So, what if we combined those two: “Christ” and “more” (más)?  If we are truly looking for purpose, fulfillment, and healing, isn’t that what we should be seeking: more Christ  The good news that Jesus brought was that we didn’t need more messiahs, we just needed Him.  And, the more of His teaching and His salvation that we pursue, the more our lives start to look like His.

Peter, in the introduction to the letter we call “2 Peter”, greeted his audience with the following blessing:

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
2 Peter 1:2 NASB

https://bible.com/bible/100/2pe.1.2.NASB

These blessings aren’t just supposed to be added to the readers’ lives as they learn more about Jesus; they are to be multiplied.

Yes, Jesus suffered during His life, and was executed after being falsely accused of wrongdoing (despite never having sinned).  However, the salvation that His voluntary sacrifice achieved changed eternity for all who follow Him, and God vindicated Him by raising Him up from the dead – never to die again.  And, when Jesus returns, it will not be as a baby in an overcrowded city under the rule of a conquering empire.  Instead, He will be the one who conquers sin and evil.

I don’t think that I can imagine a better hope for the future than that.  Más Cristo, indeed!

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation.