The True Meaning of Christmas

Cheryll Bellamy, Attorney and Pastor

There is an uproar in the Christian community over these words. "Christ can't save you and life won't begin until Christianity ends." Those are lyrics in the hit Jay Z (Jigga) song "Empire State of Mind." On its face it is offensive to many believers. More than being a blasphemous statement, it carries a spirit of hopelessness. However, Jay Z has every right to choose his belief system.

Could it be that behind the words of this iconic rap star is a reminder that many young people in this generation are disillusioned by Christianity? His words challenge all of us to introspectively examine our own relationship with Christ. He, like so many young people, are a generation of “show me.” They have seen and experienced the hypocrisy of Christianity within their own hearts. Ann Graham Lotz, a noted author, had this to say in her book, The Magnificent Obsession: “In fact, during the two thousand years of church history since Christ, religion has been a prime source of division, hatred, war, injustice and prejudice. It has been religious people, often within the organized church that have been the most critical of and even hostile to my relationship with God”

American Christianity in some respects has evolved over the years as an institution rather than a life-style. Jesus has become a religious figure rather than a personal God. Religion cannot feed the hungry heart that is physically and spiritually destitute. Religion is cold and will never be able to wrap it arms around a teenager who so desires to be loved or a widow who is very lonely. Religion can never begin to touch and sooth the pain of men and women who are homeless and others who are hurting for whatever reason.

Religion misbehaves when it comes to love and social justice. Many in the Christian community conveniently marginalize just abortion and dismiss other social issues. God saw a greater picture of the immorality of this nation and incorporated more of the following: greed and corruption as evidenced in the sub-prime loans which caused millions of home foreclosures; racism and disparity between economic classes; the poor being disenfranchised from the American dream of equal opportunity, and there is more.

The heart of Jesus should be in every believer to continue to do His work on the earth. It could be a redemptive work, an act of love. No condemnation. No judgmental spirit. Rather than being upset with this rap artist, let us ask ourselves this one question: At the end of the day, how can my life and relationship with Christ be an influence and impartation to a generation that is needy, loveless, and poor and make a difference in their lives?

The Hip Hop generation has made a marked influence on our American culture and some among them have a right to question the relevancy of Jesus Christ and Christianity. But for those few who are looking for answers, the reason why Jesus Christ came to the earth and what he has already accomplished far outweighs the influence of a Hip Hop star, doubt, cynicism, and rejection. The relevancy of our defense of Jesus Christ can only become appropriate when our lives are a living epistle for all to read. What is this generation reading about us? The Word of God said two thousand years ago, we are to be doers of His Word not only just hearers. These words take complacency and arrogance out of the picture of Salvation. It is replaced with humility and proactive love.

It becomes an individual journey in finding the meaning of Jesus in the lives of many who are searching. However, there is a new generation of Christians rising in this nation. The existing voices of this generation are declaring another expression of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Over the years these differences have been born out among our youth: their genre of music, their dress code, their cultural concerns, their political views, and their spirituality. The discontent among the younger generation of Christians is their sharp stylus etching out their own framework of Christianity. They deplore hypocrisy. They reject religious facade. They discern the facsimile of the Spirit as falsely engineered by religious men. Just like other generations that came before them, they do not want to repeat the

same errors, but rather, heed what the current trend of God's voice is saying to their times.

The Hip Hop culture cannot change the person of Jesus Christ. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Like so many cultural mores that have come and gone, Hip Hop may have its significant impact in the entertainment world, but it is up to those believers of a living God to be that moving force of shaping and changing a culture that is at odds with the real purpose of Christianity. It will not be done by mere words but through love and power demonstrated by miracles.

It does not take an institution of Christianity to turn the world upside down. It can take just the few. There is a movie, “Blind Side,” a true story of a white family who adopted a young homeless African American boy. This young boy is now an adult who is a NFL football player. His life, like many others in the world, speaks about redemption. Sandra Bullock who plays the role of the mother had the privilege of learning about this family. While being interviewed about the story of this one family, she had this to say: "I now have faith in those who say they represent a faith," Bullock commented. "I finally met people who walk the walk."