CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS
Matt. 1:21

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

Frosty, Rudolph, Santa, jingling bells, and decked out halls – tinsel, and lights, and presents under the tree; are these things distracting you from the true meaning of Christmas?  Do they subtly lure you away from the adoration of Christ?   If so, take another look, because they can clearly remind us of who Jesus is and why He came!

Let me explain:

The snowy winter paints us a picture of death. The flowers are gone. The trees drop their leaves. The grass ceases to grow.  But remember, it was in that season that the Lord of life was born.  So don’t let the appearance of lifelessness and hopelessness fool you; the Savior has come.  The Savior lives!

Our Christmas tree serves to remind us that His life is unchanged by the seasons – He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  As the tree is evergreen, His life is everlasting.

The lights and glitter of Christmas can remind us that Jesus came into the world as a light into the darkness.  If it were not for His presence we would still be in the dark!  And Christmas the lights can also remind us of the star that God provided to help the Christ Child be found. The lights of Christmas can still draw people to Jesus.

Some are really concerned about the commercialism of Christmas. Yes, the focus can be on getting and giving; spending beyond our means to outdo our relatives. Yet, the Wise men brought precious gifts to honor the newborn King.  We can give in His honor as well.  And sure, Christmas presents cost, but because of that they can serve to remind us of God the Father’s extravagant gift - the greatest gift of all time - the gift of eternal life, made available to us through Jesus.

And those crowds - they drive us nuts - they get in our way - they clog up the aisles in our favorite stores.  But they are the very ones that Jesus came into this world to be with; "Unto US as child is born, Unto US (and THEM) a Son is given.

I encourage you to worship Christ in Christmas.  But I also encourage you to let the joy of His presence show.  Holidays are Holy Days – let them be special to you and your family!

 

Pastor Keith Andrews