LET'S DO MORE THAN JUST SAY "MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
11/12/06
The first all holiday music channels have made their debut on the XM Satellite Radio today. The decorations are starting to be unveiled at all our local shopping venues. It's only November 12th and I have actually already seen the new Tim Allen/Martin Short movie "The Santa Clause 3" twice. I noticed "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" was on television last night. And suddenly-everybody's talking about the glad tidings of great joy that Walmart has decided that it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas after all as they will replace their politically correct "Happy Holidays" greeting by actually saying the words: "Merry Christmas" to all their customers this year and word has it that Macy's and Kohls are going to follow suit... And while I think that this is all very nice- I truly believe that it just exposes the reality that we are trying to get a season to accomplish what only a relationship with the Savior can do... The power of Chistmas is not unveiled in just saying the words-MERRY CHRISTMAS..." It comes alive when we get to know personally the One who is the WORD and invite the Living Word to rewrite the story of our lives!
I'm not mad at or can I blame society's yearly move in yearning to stretch out the Christmas season. It's only a matter of time before somebody tries to drum up that "ol Christmas feeling" in August- and I don't think that the thought is that far fetched. WE NEED WHAT CHRISTMAS BRINGS MORE THAN EVER! Many of the things that our culture now only does at Christmas was once a more common occurance at other times of the year. When I was a kid, my family ate supper together every night- not just at the holidays! Common courtesy was a little more common and neighbors actually got together and were not just known by a quick wave on the way to the mail box. God made us for community and the mistake we are making is trying to manufacture on our own what it took His miraculous intervention to achieve!
Jesus came from heaven to earth to bring us a taste of a kingdom that we needed to be citizens of but would never be able to discover without a little divine intervention. The secret of Christmas is that in the midst of a world and religious system that was trying to set up the kingdom of God- the rightful owner of the crown showed up to lead the way and rescue us from being lost in our fruitless activities forever. To anyone who received Jesus- to them he gave the relationship they deseprately needed and the fulfillment and acceptance that they would never be able to find in any other direction... And that is why at Christmas- if we are truly going to be used to help people find their way to the authentic party-we best be sure that we ourselves-are actually looking in the right direction- to the right source-in the first and right place...
So before I wish you Merry Christmas- let me wish you Jesus... May you be able to practically see in me the difference that making Jesus the king of your life makes... May I and others be able to practically see in you the difference that declaring your allegiance to Jesus has made and is making in the daily way that you choose to live your life. Would others really believe by looking at us and the way we do Christmas that Jesus Christ is the greatest gift that any man or woman could ever receive?
LET'S DO MORE THAN JUST SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS THIS SEASON... LET'S LIVE OUR LIVES LIKE WE KNOW THE SAVIOR AND DESIRE OTHERS TO KNOW HIM TOO... BECAUSE WHEN THEY DO COME INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM- THEY WON'T HAVE TO LOOK ANYMORE TO COSMETIC PROPS TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT ONLY THE LIVING CHRIST CAN PULL OFF ANYWAY...
From the Heart,
Pastor Rudy
