Okay, so the message is about Christmas. No, this is not about fitness or training. But at this time of year, would you have expected anything else? In my defense, I LOVE Christmas so this is not a big stretch. I love presents, decorating, eggnog, the tree, cider, our family traditions, everything about it. I also tend to take a bit of a recovery phase from training and encourage my athletes to have some down time. There, thereâs something about training!
Missing the point of Christmas
Wait a minuteâŚ.arenât you missing something Chris??Â
No, I was getting to that. I also love the time to reflect on the birth of Jesus and what it meant. Why didnât I put that first? Some may say: youâre supposed to be a Christian and a pastor, what gives? Iâd like to say lighten up and enjoy the season, but I wonât since Iâm, well⌠a Christian and a pastor.
I bring you good news of great joy
I became a follower of Jesus Christ as an adult right at Christmas time (December 17 to be precise-howâs THAT for a guy who loves Christmas!?! âwhat a GREAT gift) and many things changed for me. I have to confess I became quite uncomfortable with many of our âworldlyâ habits and traditions at this time of year and I struggled. I wasnât sure how we were supposed to act. In our first year as Christians, my wife and I had a big birthday cake for Jesus. We tried REALLY hard to do it ârightâ and yet something was missing despite all the good Christian stuff we did.
I bring you good news of great joy
God became flesh to be a reconciliation to the world (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). The WORD itself, God Himself, became flesh (John 1:14) so that we might live in right relationship with Him. Thatâs why Jesus was born, that through His death we might be set free from sinâs price. By His resurrection we can live a life triumphant until we meet Him again in heaven. We couldnât do it ourselves so Christmas becomes a celebration of our helplessness and His antidote. What an AMAZING present!
But I still had to reconcile the two paradigms in my own life and practice. Then Jesus words hit me: I have come that they may have life and have it to the full (John 10:10). This is a time to celebrate, to pull out the stops-joy to the world the LORD has come!
I bring you good news of great joy
Experiencing the Good News
You know what? I found they can peacefully, and even joyfully, co-exist. This is Good News so you can have the trees, presents, traditions and on and on and still keep Christ in Christmas. The two can live in harmony, it doesnât have to be an either/or proposition. Itâs about the heart, whatâs in it and what fills itâŚ.great joy. So stop feeling guilty about what you do or angry about what I do. Jesus came to build a bridge between fallen man and a Sovereign God. Do you love the Lord? Have you given Him your life? Do you seek to honor Him in all you do? Then Christ is in Christmas, the rest is gravy. Speaking of which, I donât know about you, but Iâm going to celebrate that. Hey, whereâs the tinsel?
Iâd like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and blessed New Year!