Pastor John wishes to share these thoughts - "Christmas Every Day"
The Phillips translation of John 1:1 - 5 “At the beginning God expressed himself. That personal expression, that word, was with God and was God, and he existed with God from the beginning. All creation took place through him, and none took place without him. In him appeared life and this life was the light of mankind. That light still shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out“. John 1:14 “So the word of God became a human being and lived among us. We saw his splendor as of a fathers only son, full of grace and truth“.
I read the story of a man who was in the crowd of people at a busy shopping mall and he made the statement “ I’m glad that Christmas comes only once a year. It leaves my pocketbook pretty thin”. Folks, if all that Christmas means to you is a seasonal shopping spree, it is going to leave only a bitter taste in your mouth. Now to be sure, there is a sweet sentimental feeling about a candlelight service on Christmas Eve, and getting together with our loved ones on Christmas Day. But then what happens? Suddenly the long awaited holiday is over and the joy of celebrating Christmas is gone and then that feeling of a let down sets in. Another Christmas has come and gone. Does this mean that like the ornaments on the Christmas tree the Christmas story too is to be packed away until next year?
To those who have grasped the true meaning of Christmas know that it is not a mere date on the calendar. It is a glorious truth which retains its importance throughout the year.
What is the everlasting truth which the Christmas story brings into focus? The apostle John, the writer of the fourth gospel captures it and is led to tell the story in a strange way. John says nothing about the angels or the shepherds , about the manger or the star over Bethlehem. But John grasps the permanent meaning of the event that happened in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago, what the birth of the Christ child has meant throughout the centuries and what it means to us as Christians today. The almighty God who by his word made heaven and earth expressed himself, made himself known to man, by taking on the flesh and blood of a human. The eternal word became a human being. This is the continuing mystery and wonder of Christmas.
A scientist once said, " The best way to send an idea is to wrap it up in a person". This is exactly what God did on the first Christmas. And so the word of God became a human being and dwelt among us.
The baby born to a young Jewish girl two thousand years ago is none other than “God of God, Light of Light, and God of every God“. When Christ was nailed to a Roman cross on a Judean hill, it was God in action to reconcile an estranged world to himself. And when he rose from the dead, it was God bringing eternal life to mortal men. Man’s life is now linked with God’s life. Jesus Christ, in his infinite love, became a mortal man so that we may become as he is.
It is easy to lose this perspective which shows the difference between the Christian Gospel and all the other forms of religion. The miracle of baby Jesus being born in a stable has its share of wonderment at Christmas time, but all too often during the rest of the year Jesus is put away just like the ornaments on the Christmas tree.
The Christian message must never lose sight of its ultimate goal, and that is the establishment of a personal relationship between human beings and the God who sent us the greatest gift this world has ever known, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For this reason the “ Jesus, our Immanuel” of whom we sing at Christmas must be the Jesus who brings God into our life everyday.
Just as all children need the warm reassuring touch of their mother’s loving hand that is how the Baby born in Bethlehem brings God to us. God is an awe inspiring word of comfort and encouragement to us as Christians. But the word sometimes only represents a fuzzy idea, something or somebody far away. But now the word has become flesh. God put on the physical human nature, becoming a living and saving presence to us. He is now more than a word. He is Immanuel, God with us.
When Christmas stops being a seasonal thing with people and becomes a living experience, it will produce changed lives; more sensitive, more unselfish and sympathetic, more patient and loving.
The word that became flesh for us becomes flesh in us as he uses us to establish contact with other people. Christ himself walks in our steps, looks through our eyes, thinks in our thoughts, speaks through our words, and loves through our hearts. Through us the Kingdom of God becomes real to the lives of men and God becomes real to them.
Lets celebrate Christmas every day of the year.
The Phillips translation of John 1:1 - 5 “At the beginning God expressed himself. That personal expression, that word, was with God and was God, and he existed with God from the beginning. All creation took place through him, and none took place without him. In him appeared life and this life was the light of mankind. That light still shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out“. John 1:14 “So the word of God became a human being and lived among us. We saw his splendor as of a fathers only son, full of grace and truth“.
I read the story of a man who was in the crowd of people at a busy shopping mall and he made the statement “ I’m glad that Christmas comes only once a year. It leaves my pocketbook pretty thin”. Folks, if all that Christmas means to you is a seasonal shopping spree, it is going to leave only a bitter taste in your mouth. Now to be sure, there is a sweet sentimental feeling about a candlelight service on Christmas Eve, and getting together with our loved ones on Christmas Day. But then what happens? Suddenly the long awaited holiday is over and the joy of celebrating Christmas is gone and then that feeling of a let down sets in. Another Christmas has come and gone. Does this mean that like the ornaments on the Christmas tree the Christmas story too is to be packed away until next year?
To those who have grasped the true meaning of Christmas know that it is not a mere date on the calendar. It is a glorious truth which retains its importance throughout the year.
What is the everlasting truth which the Christmas story brings into focus? The apostle John, the writer of the fourth gospel captures it and is led to tell the story in a strange way. John says nothing about the angels or the shepherds , about the manger or the star over Bethlehem. But John grasps the permanent meaning of the event that happened in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago, what the birth of the Christ child has meant throughout the centuries and what it means to us as Christians today. The almighty God who by his word made heaven and earth expressed himself, made himself known to man, by taking on the flesh and blood of a human. The eternal word became a human being. This is the continuing mystery and wonder of Christmas.
A scientist once said, " The best way to send an idea is to wrap it up in a person". This is exactly what God did on the first Christmas. And so the word of God became a human being and dwelt among us.
The baby born to a young Jewish girl two thousand years ago is none other than “God of God, Light of Light, and God of every God“. When Christ was nailed to a Roman cross on a Judean hill, it was God in action to reconcile an estranged world to himself. And when he rose from the dead, it was God bringing eternal life to mortal men. Man’s life is now linked with God’s life. Jesus Christ, in his infinite love, became a mortal man so that we may become as he is.
It is easy to lose this perspective which shows the difference between the Christian Gospel and all the other forms of religion. The miracle of baby Jesus being born in a stable has its share of wonderment at Christmas time, but all too often during the rest of the year Jesus is put away just like the ornaments on the Christmas tree.
The Christian message must never lose sight of its ultimate goal, and that is the establishment of a personal relationship between human beings and the God who sent us the greatest gift this world has ever known, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For this reason the “ Jesus, our Immanuel” of whom we sing at Christmas must be the Jesus who brings God into our life everyday.
Just as all children need the warm reassuring touch of their mother’s loving hand that is how the Baby born in Bethlehem brings God to us. God is an awe inspiring word of comfort and encouragement to us as Christians. But the word sometimes only represents a fuzzy idea, something or somebody far away. But now the word has become flesh. God put on the physical human nature, becoming a living and saving presence to us. He is now more than a word. He is Immanuel, God with us.
When Christmas stops being a seasonal thing with people and becomes a living experience, it will produce changed lives; more sensitive, more unselfish and sympathetic, more patient and loving.
The word that became flesh for us becomes flesh in us as he uses us to establish contact with other people. Christ himself walks in our steps, looks through our eyes, thinks in our thoughts, speaks through our words, and loves through our hearts. Through us the Kingdom of God becomes real to the lives of men and God becomes real to them.
Lets celebrate Christmas every day of the year.
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