Many Christians struggle to maintain perspective during the Christmas season.

The endless barrage of strip-mall Santas and social events, novelty songs and nativity scenes, can kick up enough mind-numbing nostalgia dust to cloud anyone’s spiritual vision. Indeed, in the midst of our swollen schedules, we rarely think about the “how” and the “why” of our celebrations. Instead, we tend to focus on the “what.”

But what do the Scriptures commend about our Christmas celebrations, preparations and commemorations? Let me commend two biblical principles to guide your Christmas festivities this year.

Create Great Expectations at Christmas

Christmas is a season of anticipation. But for many believers, the holidays fail to fulfill expectations.

Children lie awake visualizing the toy in the big box, only to lay it aside a day later. Parents eagerly await “time off,” only to suffer the fatigue and frustration of crammed calendars. Relatives long for happy reunions, only to experience increased familial tensions and turbulence.

Perhaps the reason for the disappointment and despair is that, for some, Christmas wishes have become carnal cravings. Too often, when it comes to Christmas, we seem to anticipate only what is paltry and passing.

However, the Scriptures have a more focused “anticipation” on something much more significant — on what God is doing in the world and in salvation history through His Messiah.

The evangelist Luke exhibits this expertly in his Gospel. Yes, as he states in his introduction (Luke 1:1-4), Luke wants to write an orderly account of things. But he also wants the reader to grow in expectancy — to find out what are those things that have been “accomplished among us.”

Let me give one example of Luke’s “anticipation” building. Look, for instance, at the prophetic song of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, in Luke 1:67-79. After the birth of his son and having his muteness removed, the first thing Zechariah does is to bless God. In fact, his song is commonly known as the Benedictus — the Latin translation of this opening phrase.

For what does Zechariah bless God? Zechariah announces that God had “visited” His people. This is a really important word in the Bible. If you ever see it in Scripture, take note. In the Old Testament, God “visited” Sarah and enabled her to conceive. God “visited” Hannah, the mother of Samuel, in the same way.

But the primary and most important “visitation” of God in the Old Testament was the Exodus.

Do you see what Zechariah is saying? In Luke’s Gospel, God was about to act again to redeem His people — this time by sending His Messiah. And it would be on an even greater level than the Exodus! For an Israelite reader, the anticipation would have been incredible.

Following Luke’s example, let us also do things this Christmas that help ourselves, our families and our congregations to build this type of Advent anticipation. Prioritize family worship times that focus on the coming Messiah. Use a good Advent devotional guide.

But we should not only look backward at what God has already done, we should also follow Zechariah’s example and look forward. Christmas rightly is a time of reflection, but it should also be a time of expectation — for what God is doing and will do in His church, in your life, in your family’s life, ultimately, to bring glory to Himself.

Celebrate the Full Gospel of Jesus at Christmas

Christmas rightly is a celebration and proclamation of the birth of Christ. Too often, however, our society is content to leave the baby “wrapped in clothes” in the manger. A baby is weak. A baby doesn’t demand changed lives. A baby doesn’t claim exclusive divinity.

The nativity should not be divorced from the passion and ultimate exaltation of Christ. Instead, Christmas represents the first chapter in the complete story of God’s great redemptive work in Christ.

Christians are remiss to allow the Christmas story to remain in the stable. As beautiful as the Gospel renditions are, they are much more than shepherds, swaddling clothes and stars — and certainly more than Santa Claus, sleigh bells and shopping malls.

Those in the Gospels who recognize the baby for who He is and one day would be do not just acknowledge Him — they worship Him. Central to every birth narrative in both Matthew and Luke are expressions of worship.

Though the Magi, Simeon, Anna and the shepherds may not have grasped fully the implications of this baby, they all worshipped Him as the Messiah, the anointed one in the line of the king. How much more then should we, who have the benefit of Scripture and hindsight, honor the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?

How do we do this practically? When you tell the Christmas story this year on Christmas morning, tell the whole story — from the first Advent to the coming second Advent.

This Christmas, let us, like the Gospel writers, both anticipate and celebrate the baby Jesus as the living Christ — who was, is and shall be our Lord and Savior.

— Bryan Cribb is associate professor of Christian studies and chair of undergraduate Christian studies in the College of Christian Studies at Anderson University (www.auministry.com).