Christians are sometimes accused of being out of touch with reality. “You’re so heavenly-minded you’re no earthly good” is one criticism that is sometimes heard. “Christianity is just a crutch. You don’t know what it’s like to live in the real world. It’s all pie in the sky.”
Quite how people get this view of Christianity astounds me. At Christmas, we celebrate the coming of Christ into the world. He came as a real baby to a real world. He didn’t come with pomp and majesty, but to a cold, dirty, smelly stable. He lived on earth amongst real people as a real man. He died a painful, cruel death. Jesus is not some sugar-coated sentimental hero. He is real.
Our faith is rooted in historical fact. We proclaim, as others have done before us, that “we believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.”
This week on Radio 4 there was a programme about Pentecostalism presented by Philip Dodd. I was interested in this for a number of reasons, not least because part of the programme was recorded at Grimethorpe Pentecostal Church, not a million miles from us, and Pastor Joy Gascoigne, a friend of mine, featured in it. But as I listened, one thing struck me. Despite all the talk about ‘experience’ and ‘speaking in tongues’, the presenter couldn’t deny the fact that these people were living in the real world, were engaged in the real world and were working hard to relieve suffering and poverty in the real world.
I believe that is how it should be, for we serve a God who engaged with the real world and as we celebrate that fact at Christmas, may we be like Him: spiritually in tune with the Father and serving those around us with humility, love and faithfulness.
You can hear the programme here:
bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wqcnd