While walking my daughter’s dog on the morning of December 2nd two ideas intersected to form Sunday’s message and this TfTD. The first was, “Would my wife and I put up Christmas Tree?” The second idea centered around all the reason for all of the lights in the neighborhood.
During that early morning walk I noticed that the neighbor’s had already put up their Christmas lights. The reason that I wondered if we would put up the Christmas tree is because the children are grown and independent and I do not yet know where my wife and children have decided celebrate Christmas. I generally leave those decisions to them.
There was a time in my thinking when a tree was necessary for me to fully enjoy Christmas but not anymore. I now get my energy from the meaning behind the decorations.
Then the idea about all the lights in the neighborhood came to me when I noticed all of the early decorations on some of the houses because it was only December the 2nd. Thanksgiving is barely out the door and already Santa Claus, reindeer and naitivity scenes are everywhere and the majority of these people sleep in on Sundays. The lights seem essential for them and that caused me to ask what are the essentials in the original Christmas story, and how do we get the juice out of Christmas. I re-read the story and I found a few essentials of which I will only mention two. I will stay away from the more obvious ones here.
The Essentials
One of the essentials is hope for a better world.
In Luke 2.38 Anna the prophetess began to speak to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. In other words, they looked in hope hope for a better city and hence, a better world. While hope for a better world is not specific to Christmas it is essential for Christmas because every Jew jew lived in hope of the coming Messiah who would make their world a better one. That is the reason why the angels sang to the shepherd that night because the object of their hope had arrived.
When we give our gifts especially to our children all of our hopes, our dreams and aspirations are centered in their well-being. We hope that the country treats them fairly, and we hope that they do not have to struggle the way we had to struggle. When we sit with loved ones on Christmas Day we wish for them the best that God has to offer.
It essential in the original story and it is essential in our story. Herod The Great was a threat to many hopes and aspirations of Jesus’ day. And when some catastrophe crushes us and life grinds us into the dirt, hope finds a way to rise out of the dust and keep going.
Another essential for Christmas is goodwill towards all men. Even towards — no. I am not going to say it. It is goodwill towards all men — even tyrants. It also includes people of other faiths. The angels sang, “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth, peace and “goodwill” towards “all” men. The Bible also says that God loved the “world” so much that He gave His only begotten Son that “whosoever” believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. God loved the world to the point that His goodwill reached out to everyone, red, yellow, black white, muslims, hindus, sinners, saved, gays or straight.
It is because God loved the world that I advise people to rise above their haters. Rise above those who call you names. Rise above people who do not like you because you are black, white, republican, democrats and spread goodwill.
Hence, if we really want to get the juice out of Christmas, keep hope alive and spread goodwill.
Life Step Ministries 