Christmas

Visiting Jesus This Christmas

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And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:40 ESV

“Kin you afford to lose this?” Alice said as she fingered the blue sweater that I had thrown over her shoulders as she sat shivering in her wheel chair. I smiled and nodded in assurance and then she began to tell her story. “I dun know how I ga heer! Awl I know is I wuz waitin’ fer the bus an’ I fell an now am heer.”

Alice’s story is so like that of a thousand others. She could remember clearly growing up in Ireland and often reminded me, “New one az soffered like the Irish people.” But Alice did not know that she was in a nursing home understand why she was there, or what had become of her family. This year as Christmas is approaching remember Alice’s story. It may take only a sweater, a plate of cookies of a few heart-felt Christmas carols to unlock the secrets of those who are especially precious to Jesus. Maybe He calls them brothers and sisters because like Him there has no room been found for them at the inn.

Why not ask God to help you share the love and message of Jesus Christ with them this year? It doesn’t matter whether we come with costly gifts like the wise men or with only praise like the shepherds. Jesus sits by their sides and He will counts it all as done for Him if we will simply choose to come! If you have been praying about it and just are not sure how to get started, I have included a short video that may help you put feet to your prayers.

Keeping Our Eyes on the Star

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After listening to the king, they went on their way and behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. Matthew 2:9 ESV

A funny thing happened to the wise men on their way to Bethlehem. Though they had followed God’s star for hundreds of miles across deserts and mountains, when they got close to their destination they decided to ask King Herod which way to go. “Now why would they do that?” we might ask. The fact is that all of us do the same thing at times. We begin in the right direction on something we know is God’s will in our lives, but somewhere along the way we begin to waver. Maybe we begin to wonder what in the world we were thinking about when we started out. No one else seems to be able to see the star we are following. Then when we doubt a strange thing happens. Our star disappears for a while.

But the same God who revealed His star to the wise men in the first place was willing to show it to them again. As soon as they left Herod’s palace the star appeared on the horizon and led them directly to Jesus Christ. So if your world seems dark and frightening the good news is that same star is still shining over the place where Jesus is today. The only difference is that the God’s star is not shining in the sky but from the pages of a book called the Bible. His promises now don’t depend on us wandering across a wilderness trying to keep it in view. Now we can trust God’s promise that He loved us so much that He sent us His Son. All we need to do is follow that star and it will lead us right to Him!

In the middle of your Christmas preparations maybe this quiet carol can bring a bit of the gentle calm of His presence for you today.

One Christmas Faith

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One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all. Ephesians 4:5-6 KJV

It’s the Holiday season and everywhere you look there are elves, reindeer and the big guy in the red suit. But without any desire to offend anyone I need to get this off my chest:  I hate Hallmark movies! Okay maybe not all, but how is it possible to produce dozens of Christmas themed films without having a single one about the birth of Christ? I will admit that to their credit at least Hallmark keeps things family friendly for the holidays; but then the question needs to be asked: Just what are we celebrating?

It might feel uncomfortable to insist that Christmas is only about Jesus because it runs counter to our inclusive culture. But Paul makes it crystal clear that real faith is exclusive and unique. If people choose to celebrate Christmas while leaving out Jesus they are completely missing the point. There are not a thousand different ways to get to God: there is only one. We are lost and in need of a Savior and that is why God sent His Son. The verse from the Old Christmas Carol says –

No ear may hear His coming

But in this world of sin

Where meek souls will receive Him still

The dear Christ enters in*

Oh yes there is only one Christmas faith, but the good news is that no matter who we are, what we have done, or what others think of us; if we open our hearts to receive Him; the dear Christ still enters in!

*O Little Town of Bethlehem Lewis Redner 1868