As I prepare to go to my deer stand this morning I smiled at the thought of millions of little wild eyed kids that will soon will be running all over houses ripping open Christmas gifts and jabbering away like a flock of Magpies as their parents sleepily smile as they calmly watch the spectacle.
I miss those days.
I’ve often heard that Christmas is about kids and certainly they add to the celebratory nature of this sacred holiday in honor of the birth of our Savior. Jesus loves kids and during His ministry in this world He expressed that often. Once some folks brought their children to Jesus in order that He might bless them and the disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
He was talking about the kids, but He was also referring to the way WE should approach Him and life in general in a simple childlike manner (harmless and inoffensive; free from acrimony and malice, meek, modest, and humble; without pride, self-conceit, and ambitious views, tender, loving, void of desires of grandeur and superiority).
That is how the little baby Jesus came into the world. Though the King of kings, He chose to be born in a manger. Instead of rightfully being first in everything, He elected to be last, even kneeling down and washing the nasty dirt feet of His disciples after a long walk on the dusty roads of Israel. He was humble and kind and innocent and without sin. The Bible compares Him to a newborn lamb white as snow.
He went on from those humble beginnings to change the world. A friend sent me the following and I think it sums up the life of Christ better than I ever could:
“One Solitary Life” by Rev. James Allen Francis . . .
“He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant. He grew up in another village, where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was 30. Then, for three years, he was an itinerant preacher.
He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a home. He didn’t go to college. He never lived in a big city. He never traveled 200 miles from the place where he was born. He did none of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but himself.
He was only 33 when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied him. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his garments, the only property he had on earth. When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave, through the pity of a friend.
Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race. I am well within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched,
all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned – put together – have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that one, solitary life . . . ”
Today is a very special day of celebration and hope. It is about Jesus who was God’s special Christmas gift to the world. I’ll be spending some time later with my family including kids and grandkids and I hope you will do likewise, but please keep Jesus first in your mind today.
Last night we conducted our first Christmas Eve service at Honey Lake Church. I didn’t think it would be well attended but much to my delight it was. One large family took up an entire pew just by themselves. It was really cool to see all of the different generations sitting and worshipping together. From wrinkles and white hair down to vibrant youngsters all sitting together and celebrating the birth of Christ.
The music was absolutely wonderful and we observed Communion for the first time ever in our little church. After it was over, folks didn’t want to leave and stayed around for probably an hour talking, and then the musicians fired up several more songs and we sang along, (I lip synched). It was truly a fun, Spirit filled evening.
I could have stayed for two more hours and truly hated to see it end. I remember the days when at Christmas I was stoned out of my mind, lonely, devoid of all hope, miserable, bitter, filled with hate, and sin ruled my life.
Jesus changed all of that for me and I thought about that last night as those talented musicians belted out Joy to the World the Lord is come! He paid an enormous price for our gift that changed the world by defeating death and sin forever. What a tremendous gift to mankind. Thank you Jesus! Have a blessed day today!
Gal. 4:4
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
Romans 5:6
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.
December 25, 2013 – Click here to listen