I don't know about you, but there seems to me to be endless applications of Black Friday sales.Included; are cars, clothes, reading materials, electronic gadgets, and jewelry, It appears to me that too many of these Black Fridays contribute to Red Sundays, when it comes to the church offering plates. Too many of us continue to put God behind our material desires and perceived needs at the expense of our spiritual devlopment. God, never has and never wil,l be satisfied with any position other than first in our lives. According to the recent Pew Research poll, fewer and fewer people see Christmas as a religious holiday. The reason for giving gifts has nothing to do with the three Wisemen, come to honor the new born King, but rather Christmas is viewed as a day off work and an opportunity to receive gifts. But as we, in the Christian tradition celebrate the advent season, and as we know that Christ will come again as scripture plainly tells us. Then clearly, there will be a last Christmas for the entire world. Jesus says no man knows the day, nor the hour of His return, what if this was the last Christmas for you, or someone you know or love,what gift would you give them? What would you want to be sure that they had received? Something from a Black Friday sale purchased during a sales frenzy? Is it the right size? Does it compliment their complexion? Is it their style? Will you need to keep the receipt in case of return on the day after Christmas. There are similiar concerns with jewelry, electronic devices and games. Toys around my house rarely lasted 90 days, so I started giving stock from the toy manufacturer if it was publicly traded, ( a carryover from my previous vocation).
But even with stock, when Jesus comes they can't take it with them. So what would you choose as the perfect gift for the last Christmas? I know what I'd decide. It wouldn't matter if it were my last Christmas, or that of a loved one. It wouldn't matter about their age, nor gender. It wouldn't even matter about their sexual persuations, I'd give them Jesus. With Jesus it doesn't matter size or color, one size fits all. It's the gift everybody needs. The perfect gift for the proverbial person who has everything. You won't have to hold on the the receipt. And even if you had purchased something durable like a frigerator,car, or washing machine Jesus never wears out or breaks down. That's why Jesus is always at the top of my Christmas list. God has you on the top of His list. The real question is He at the top of yours?
