The Christ of Christmas
When I was young my parents took me to church once and said I made too much noise. Of course I was only 1 1/2 years old. But many times I think I still make too much noise in Church. Many times during a sermon people seem uncomfortable, but I have been ordained by the Lord to preach the truth and the truth is you cannot take Christ out of Christmas without killing the whole reason for Christmas. Christ is the light of the world John 8:12 (NLT) Jesus said to the people, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life. I have to admit I love that version. If you have Jesus you won't be stumbling through life. How many people of the world do you know that do just that, stumble through life?
Christmas is a state of mind. When I was a child I loved Christmas for a different reason. When I was young, before I knew the Lord, I loved Christmas because it was the one time of the year when people were nice to each other. Do you remember those days when strangers wished you a Merry Christmas? When someone would smile at you for no reason? It was that time of year when it seemed to me as a youth that there was a kinder-gentler spirit on the earth. Just last week I was watching the old Andy Williams Show on PBS. I could not help but go back to that time when a "Christmas Carol" meant Holy Night, Silent Night, or It came upon a Midnight Clear, not Jingle bells! When I was young I did not know why, but I could see the difference. Each and every year no matter what was going on in my world the Christmas spirit would come and make the world a better place if only for a short time. I looked forward to that every year. Not just for the gifts, but for the spirit that was present in the world. The love I felt from mankind. I did not understand at that time, that there was a light in the world, the light of Jesus.
Christmas is a state of heart and that state is changing from love toward ones fellow man and woman to the "what's in it for me." You see, (or maybe you do not see) that the light is growing dim. It is not because our Lord and Savior has lost His power, NO! It is because His people are losing their power. At this time of year that light is growing dimmer and dimmer because of the darkness that is taking over the world. Why? because of the change in this world's state of heart. Jesus said 1John 9:5 (KJV) As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Did you get that "as long as I am in the world"! You see the attacks on Christmas by the world are just one more nail in the Christianity's coffin. We Christians are the reason for the death of the Christmas season. I have watched in the last few years over and over again Christians lose their rights. We have given them away! I cannot remember the last time I heard a preacher preach a Hell and Damnation sermon. NO! The big name preachers, or should I say the big head preachers of today preach the blab it and grab it gospel, the feel good gospel, the God wants to bless you gospel, the once saved always saved gospel and the watered down straight from the pits of hell gospel! Jesus said the "fields are ripe but the workers are few." Where oh, where are the workers? We have gone from a Christian nation to a " we hate Christians nation". Christians are now portrayed as a group of self serving hateful bigots. You may not want to hear this but this must happen to set the stage for the hatred of Christians that the Antichrist will have. Before the Antichrist can kill, jail, torture Christians the world must agree with his beliefs.
Think about it, when was the last time you gave a glass of water to a thirsty person? We sit in our crystal temples to ourselves and close out the world's needy. I know of one "spirit" filled church that had a fellow come into their church and his clothes were dirty. It was very evident he had not had a bath in weeks, he was not wearing shoes. How was he greeted by the pastor? The Pastor went and got a bar of soap and told him to "come back after he had taken a bath." In my opinion that pastor will answer to Jesus for that one. He may even have condemned that young man to hell. That may have been his one and only contact with Christians.eHeHH
Our country has changed so much that the country which used to have the most overseas missionaries, now has countries sending missionaries to America to preach the true Gospel. If my fellow followers of Jesus Christ want to have Christ in Christmas we need to bring back the light of the world. Notice I did not use the word Christian. I firmly believe that there are many people out in the world calling themselves Christians that have no personal relationship with Jesus. I would go so far to say that I feel that if Jesus showed up in their lives they would not even know who He was. The true followers of Jesus Christ are the only ones that can keep Christ in Christmas. How, by showing the world the light of Christ. By getting out of our crystal, brick and mortar monuments to ourselves and again becoming a movement for Jesus.
Merry Christmas and may you show forth the Christ of Christmas this year before it is to late.
Pastor A. J.
