Yeah really…that makes a lot of sense right? Well I thought the same thing until tonight when I was driving to meet some friends for dinner while listening to 98.5 Atlanta’a home for the holiday’s and soft rock favorites. I was enjoying some lovely Christmas tunes (some more than others) when syndicated radio talk person Delilah (please don’t take my man card…I was simply trying to hear seasonal Christmas music) began to share in a thoughtful moment about Christmas. She encouraged her listeners to not focus on trying to find the perfect gift or throw the perfect Holiday party, but instead focus on what Christmas really means. I was like yeah Delilah tell em now what it’s all about, hit a Christmas home run. Christmas is about family! What!? I quickly went from attentively listening to apologist in a matter of one word. She would go on to explain all the neat things family’s could do to make this Christmas a special and memorable one without presents…and apparently she forgot to say with out Christ. Christmas is about Christ chiefly and nothing else. Without Christ there is no Christmas, and no reason to celebrate. The real danger lies in what Delilah left out, Christ. But there is also danger in what she said. Gift’s party’s and yes even friends wont and can’t satisfy the deepest longings of your soul. If you go into Christmas hoping your family will ultimately make you happy, then you are in for a major let down and committing idolatry along the way. Gee Charlie Brown, it’s 2009 did you not hear what Linus said Christmas was all about? He sure didn’t say family. So for all the Charlie Brown’s out there (I once was one) Christmas is all about the birth of Jesus Christ the true Son of God. If you try to find joy and peace in any other person or place you will be let down and most likely find yourself singing Elvis’s version of Blue Christmas in your heart for the next month. But you don’t have too, and Jesus is the answer for the Blue’s and for all sinful idolatries at Christmas time including your family and mine.
Luke 2:8-14
8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
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