Fearlessly CourageousDesk of Dennis Piller12/13/2022Click for Audio
The People who missed Christmas – Taking the True Gift out of Christmas
For those of us who are of Catholic origin, I would like to share some interesting facts that are actually celebrated by the world in many ways. The season of Advent in the Christian calendar anticipates the "coming of Christ" from three different perspectives: The physical nativity in Bethlehem, the reception of Christ in the heart of the believer, and the eschatological Second Coming.We have just passed the 3rd Sunday of Advent. We are encouraged to pray and be spiritually ready for this world-changing event. Question: Are you ready to receive the King? Is Christmas about buying everyone gifts or celebrating Christ? The truth is every Christmas everyone struggles with the same issues of getting caught up in the commercial side of Christmas. And that was never the plan. Neal DeRoo wrote: "The American way has become, I’ll buy you something if you buy me something. Though we often call these contracts ‘gift exchanges,’ these are not gifts. They are negotiated exchanges of goods and services: My biggest worry is not that we’ve lost the true meaning of Christmas — it’s that we’ve lost the true sense of gift-giving needed for Christian living. It’s not so much that we’ve ruined Christmas, as that we’ve let (consumer) Christmas ruin Christianity."As the culture changes… as more and more new age thinking, self-sufficiency, and pride enter our self-serving generation. As Christians, or those who claim to be, we’ve come to treat God more and more as a stakeholder in an (admittedly very one-sided) contract: God gives us Jesus, who can save us all if we will but put our faith in him. This huge gift of grace requires nothing in return. But the evidence of gratitude. And obedience. It means His gift continues to change us at the core. Which means faithful church attendance. And daily devotions. And abstaining from drunkenness, debauchery, sexual immorality, impurity, greed, etc., and instead engaging actively in forgiveness, social justice, compassion, encouragement, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control, faith, hope, and love. Evidence!
It's not too late to evaluate some old traditions and put them in their proper place, while we prepare our hearts to receive again,the heart and the gift of Christmas. JESUS!
The gift of grace has been given to us by God so that we may give it to others, even if we do not think they deserve it. Romans 12:6 The New Testament concept of grace is this dynamic supernatural power that enables those who have been saved to live the Christian life and serve God. The apostle Paul saw this power as the explanation for his own successful ministry.When we received the gift of Jesus for the first time, a spontaneous, unmerited gift of divine favor came in the salvation of sinners, and the divine influence started operating in individuals for their regeneration and sanctification. That’s the power and the purpose of Grace…it gives us the power to fight our battles against the enemy, and it gives us the power to forgive those who hurt us. It strengthens us in our faith and teaches us how to live in a way that honors God and brings glory to His name.
That same Grace allows us to see what is happening around us. The commercialization of Christianity and how it has put people in debt for the negotiated exchanges of goods and services for the biggest commercial season of the year. Christmas. But where is Christ in it all?
I am not suggesting you cease your exchanges but simply to prepare yourself, your heart, and your mind for the concept of His gift. What is such a gift worth? What is the value of life? What price did God pay to pursue you, love you, forgive you, and empower you to give yourself away to others in the spirit of Christ? If part of that is pulling back your spending and giving a loaf of friendship bread instead, that you and your kids made, let your conscience be your guide. Christmas is a time when Christians remember that Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus… were very real people dealing with a very real world that had lost its sense of hope.
Christmas reveals that you are important to God, you are precious to Him, and you are saved by Him. 1 John 5:20.
At Christmas, we celebrate the gift of Jesus. His birth marks a new chapter in God's plan to end our suffering and save us from our sin. So if you're discouraged during the holidays, remind yourself that the baby Jesus came to fill your heart…heal your heart and this world. Because of Him, one day there will be no more suffering. It all started on Christmas morning. When Father God sent his son Jesus.
Let that be your focus throughout this season of giving.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJpGwu31sKkJosh Groban – O Come All Ye Faithful (feat. the Mormon Tabernacle Choir)
