We are quickly moving our way into the Christmas holiday season. There will be many who will be shopping for gifts, attending office parties, preparing dinners, getting into the spirit with beer, wine and liquor while others will be doing it with mind altering drugs. There will be those who want to spend their time this Christmas season trying to answer the question that Charlie Brown asked in the cartoon movie, A Charlie Brown Christmas, “Does anyone know what Christmas is all about?”
First let’s start with what Christmas is not about. It is not about a “jolly ole elf” that comes down your chimney to leave you gifts. It is about a savior that came down from heaven in flesh to gift you a gift of eternal life (The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23). It is not about a snow man that came to life one day, but it is about a savior that died on the cross for our sins but came back to life by the power of God (Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead. Hebrews 11:19). It is not about a reindeer that used his nose to light up a foggy night so that the jolly ole elf could find his way. It is about as John the Baptist said, a savior that lights up the world for all of us to see the Glory of God and find our way (Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12).
This year as we prepare to celebrate the Christmas “holyday”, let us keep in mind that Jesus is the reason for the season. That this holyday is about a world that was and is spiritually dark from sin, but God sent His Son into the world to be a light into the world.
How can we celebrate CHRISTmas without Christ being in it? You may say how is He not in it? When we put our focus on us and the receiving of gifts verses the giving of our service to others in need. When our focus is on things and not on Him. When we don’t wrap ourselves in love for Him and others and instead wrap ourselves in selfishness, greed, and pride, we take Christ out of Christmas.
This year I beseech you to put Christ back into your Christmas. How can you do that? You can start by serving others instead of wanting others to serve you. Second, by asking God for the gift of His Fruit of the Spirit (Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Gentleness, Kindness, Faith Meekness and Temperance). Third, by asking God our Father to give you wisdom and a greater knowledge of Himself and His Son Jesus. When you do these things you then put Christ back into Christmas.
In the gospel of Matthew it tells us that wise men from the east came seeking the Christ child. The word wise means, having the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting, or that of being sagacious (a wise leader). It also means exhibiting common sense; prudent: making a wise decision. So this is what we know about the wise men, a. They knew that Jesus was identified as a king, b. They knew that prophecy said that He (the Messiah) would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Thus they used wisdom or common sense in acting on what they knew to be true.
The second thing they did was to seek Him. The word “seek” means: To try to locate or discover; to search for; to endeavor to obtain or reach; to go toward; or to inquire for; request. In Matthew 2:2 we read, “Saying, where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and we are come to worship him.” Verse 10-11, “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
Some people seek Him today only for what He can do for them materialistically not spiritually. They don't seek Him with the proper perspective. Especially during this time there is amongst Christ is not in their Christmas. We seem to have so many people today that seek after Jesus for all the wrong reasons. Concerned more about what He can do for them physically or materialistically as opposed to what He can do for all of us spiritually. What some don't seem to understand is that the baby that was born the first Christmas morning came to give us a gift, that of eternal life. Thus Jesus is still the reason for the season.
Let us be like the wise men and seek after the King of kings and Lord of lords. Let us seek after the Messiah, seek the one who gives us the gift of eternal life, seek after the redeemer, seek after the Son of the Living God, seek that little baby born into the world to die at the hands of the world to save the world.
Without giving Jesus all the Glory, honor and praise. Without celebrating in Spirit and in truth He that so loved us so much that He died on the cross for us. Without honoring Christ by being a servant to others and giving to others, particularly those in need we then shut Christ out of all that we do. With that being done then Christmas just ain’t Christmas without Christ in it!
Father God, in the name of Jesus we pray that Christmas will once again have true meaning for the world. We pray that it will be a day of service in your name and that you will be Glorified by our celebration of this "holyday" We pray that it will be a glorious Christmas because Christ will be in it. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen
First let’s start with what Christmas is not about. It is not about a “jolly ole elf” that comes down your chimney to leave you gifts. It is about a savior that came down from heaven in flesh to gift you a gift of eternal life (The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23). It is not about a snow man that came to life one day, but it is about a savior that died on the cross for our sins but came back to life by the power of God (Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead. Hebrews 11:19). It is not about a reindeer that used his nose to light up a foggy night so that the jolly ole elf could find his way. It is about as John the Baptist said, a savior that lights up the world for all of us to see the Glory of God and find our way (Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12).
This year as we prepare to celebrate the Christmas “holyday”, let us keep in mind that Jesus is the reason for the season. That this holyday is about a world that was and is spiritually dark from sin, but God sent His Son into the world to be a light into the world.
How can we celebrate CHRISTmas without Christ being in it? You may say how is He not in it? When we put our focus on us and the receiving of gifts verses the giving of our service to others in need. When our focus is on things and not on Him. When we don’t wrap ourselves in love for Him and others and instead wrap ourselves in selfishness, greed, and pride, we take Christ out of Christmas.
This year I beseech you to put Christ back into your Christmas. How can you do that? You can start by serving others instead of wanting others to serve you. Second, by asking God for the gift of His Fruit of the Spirit (Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Gentleness, Kindness, Faith Meekness and Temperance). Third, by asking God our Father to give you wisdom and a greater knowledge of Himself and His Son Jesus. When you do these things you then put Christ back into Christmas.
In the gospel of Matthew it tells us that wise men from the east came seeking the Christ child. The word wise means, having the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting, or that of being sagacious (a wise leader). It also means exhibiting common sense; prudent: making a wise decision. So this is what we know about the wise men, a. They knew that Jesus was identified as a king, b. They knew that prophecy said that He (the Messiah) would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Thus they used wisdom or common sense in acting on what they knew to be true.
The second thing they did was to seek Him. The word “seek” means: To try to locate or discover; to search for; to endeavor to obtain or reach; to go toward; or to inquire for; request. In Matthew 2:2 we read, “Saying, where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and we are come to worship him.” Verse 10-11, “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
Some people seek Him today only for what He can do for them materialistically not spiritually. They don't seek Him with the proper perspective. Especially during this time there is amongst Christ is not in their Christmas. We seem to have so many people today that seek after Jesus for all the wrong reasons. Concerned more about what He can do for them physically or materialistically as opposed to what He can do for all of us spiritually. What some don't seem to understand is that the baby that was born the first Christmas morning came to give us a gift, that of eternal life. Thus Jesus is still the reason for the season.
Let us be like the wise men and seek after the King of kings and Lord of lords. Let us seek after the Messiah, seek the one who gives us the gift of eternal life, seek after the redeemer, seek after the Son of the Living God, seek that little baby born into the world to die at the hands of the world to save the world.
Without giving Jesus all the Glory, honor and praise. Without celebrating in Spirit and in truth He that so loved us so much that He died on the cross for us. Without honoring Christ by being a servant to others and giving to others, particularly those in need we then shut Christ out of all that we do. With that being done then Christmas just ain’t Christmas without Christ in it!
Father God, in the name of Jesus we pray that Christmas will once again have true meaning for the world. We pray that it will be a day of service in your name and that you will be Glorified by our celebration of this "holyday" We pray that it will be a glorious Christmas because Christ will be in it. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen