Experiencing Christ in the Christmas Season

How did December’s calendar get booked so quickly? Is it just me, or do events and activities absolutely multiply this month? My wife and I “calendarized” (her word) our schedules last night, and there’s hardly a day where something’s not written in.

The challenge seems to be, as always, how to experience the true meaning of Christmas in the middle of the Christmas season. Most of the stuff we’ve calendarized relates to ministering in the name of Christ Jesus. Activities include fellowshipping, worshipping, serving, encouraging, giving and evangelizing. Throw in parenting and pastoring, and you’re looking at a pretty healthy set of biblical instructions.

So how’d it all get so crazy? How, in the very process of doing “Christiany” (my word, I think, but maybe I've heard it somewhere before) things, do we lose sight of the One whose birth we celebrate? Doesn’t the true meaning of Christmas revolve around the love of God the Father for mankind – the love from which He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life? Isn’t Jesus the sole reason we celebrate – the One who is the “good news of great joy that will be for all the people,” the Messiah and Lord, Jesus our Savior who will save His people from their sins, Immanuel – God with us?

We don’t want to lose sight of that truth, and the joy and salvation that come with it! We don’t want to lose sight of the merciful and gracious promises of God from centuries before wrapped up in the form of a newborn baby in a manger. We don’t want to lose sight of the sacrifice that Jesus would become for sinners on the cross of Calvary, nor the resurrection victory He won over sin and death. And we don’t want to lose sight of the hope of the glory to be revealed when Christ Jesus comes again as the Almighty King.

So to help us all experience the unique peace and joy and salvation of Christ Jesus this Christmas, let me invite you to come together in worship at the Ridgway First Baptist Church. We’ll do our best to help focus your heart on the reason for the season. We’ll be singing some of your favorite songs of Christmas praise, we’ll be proclaiming the good news of Christ Jesus from the Word of God, and we’ll be giving you plenty of opportunities to bless others in the name of Christ this season.

On Sunday, December 13, the choir will be presenting a special Christmas celebration called “Gather at the Manger.” You won’t want to miss this opportunity to draw near to God and feel the wonder of His presence through this musical presentation.

Listen, I know you’re busy. If I could free up some extra time for you this month, I’d do it. But I urge you to give yourself first to the Lord – before letting your schedule control your life. Give yourself to the Lord Jesus first, and see how He returns the rest and peace to you in supernatural ways.

Maybe you don’t belong to a church at all, and you’re really not sure about this whole “Jesus” thing. Here’s the deal: You don’t have to accept our invitation to come to church services, but I plead with you to not reject the greatest invitation that’s ever been given – and that is the invitation for you to receive the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord. Christmas is your reminder that God has gone to the greatest lengths imaginable to save you from your sins. You know you have sin in your life – who doesn’t? And it’s that sin that keeps you from experiencing the glory of God, and it’s that sin that will ultimately result in death and hell unless Someone comes to your rescue.

Friend, the King of creation, the Almighty Maker of heaven and earth, has come to your rescue, and He’s invited you to be His guest at the greatest celebration feast ever given. He invites you to repent of your sins and put your faith in His Son Jesus Christ. “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). And, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13).

It would be an utter insult to the Host to decline such a gracious offer, and to do so will confirm your own destruction. Don’t delay! Let His kindness lead you to repentance today.