Christmas

I heard a great message about Christmas in church last Sunday and it was an eye opener and very convicting, which is the sign of a good sermon and I think it shows that the Holy Spirit was truly in our midst.  A sermon that doesn’t have the potential to change the hearer’s lives is just words, but when the convicting power of the Spirit of the Lord is there it will accomplish whatever it was meant to accomplish if the hearers are open to it and don’t shut down when they hear what they don’t want to hear.  That is the problem with many of our sermons today, we are told what we want to hear and not what we need to hear and it has really taken a toll on the life of the church.

Pastor JJ reminded us that Christmas isn’t about the commercialization and the frills and all the hustle and bustle that seems to accompany the season.  He told us about a lady that went to the store to try to purchase a tickle me Elmo, which was the hot item for kids that year, and to her surprise there was one left on the shelf which she purchased and was very happy to get it.  Everything was fine until she started walking to her car and a lady came up from behind her and grabbed the Elmo out of her hands.  Things didn’t go too good after that and he didn’t go into a lot of detail except that the police were called and the lady had to be bailed out of jail and never did get the Elmo back.  

He also mentioned the greed and selfishness that takes place at this time of year.  He reminded us of how this time of year should be a time of worship and adoration to the Lord, for that is why we celebrate Christmas in the first place.  

He also mentioned the amount of money that is spent on Christmas, in America about 600 billion dollars on Christmas related shopping.  I remember when I was a young boy getting an apple or maybe an orange or maybe something handed down from my brother for Christmas and we were happy to get that.  Kid’s Christmas lists today, in many cases, are outrageous and very expensive.  

I will admit that Christmas may be, for me, the greatest time of the year.  I enjoy many of the songs, the lights, the food, the mystic of it all, the gifts and the love that is shown during the Christmas season.  I also enjoy having friends and family over and the love and encouragement that I get from my wife, but I try to never forget the true meaning of Christmas and the reason for the season in the first place and who my true worship belongs to and that is Jesus Christ, my Savior and my Lord!!  To be honest I try to do this all year round but I realize how often stuff gets in the way at times and then I have to refocus and get my mind on what is the most important treasure in my life and that is the Lord!!  He mentioned how easily we get sucked into believing that the more and the better things we get are what give life meaning, which is not true.

He encouraged us to read Acts 20:35 also, “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Pastor JJ spoke these words also, “It is better to be a giver than a taker.”  If you have a heart for giving and not just receiving you are developing a character that the Lord is pleased with.  No one can ever out give the Lord and, let’s face it, all of us have been blessed.  Pastor JJ wanted us to focus on how we could worship the Lord more fully at Christmas time and this should include all year long.  He mentioned how we could give to missions and how we could be involved in other activities in the church.  He also mentioned people in other countries that have a struggle to get clean water and food to eat and we have so much in our country.  

Don’t let this Christmas season and the hustle and the busyness take from you the real meaning of Christmas.  Try to spend less and give more and put the one back in Christmas, the one that Christmas represents and that is the good Lord, who is to be ever praised and worshiped and adored.  Something to think about!  I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and may the good Lord bless you and yours and may you bless others as well!!