A WHITE CHRISTMAS
This morning I am dreaming of a white Christmas for all of you today, not so much the snow on the ground or the snowflakes falling down but a white Christmas where the red sin stains are replaced with glistening whiteness of DIVINE REDEMPTION. I am dreaming of a white Christmas.
ISAIAH 1:18
THOUGH YOUR SINS ARE LIKE SCARLET, THEY WILL BE WHITE AS SNOW THOUGH THEY ARE AS RED AS CRIMSON, THEY WILL BE LIKE WOOL.
All of us from the rich to the poor, the old to the young, black, white, in between we are all stained with sin.
ROMANS 3:23
FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.
Without those sins forgiven and removed, we will find ourselves in eternity without Christ and if we are not careful we may lose Jesus during the Christmas season. Rather than Christmas drawing people closer to Christ, we get distracted by parties and gifts. People backslide one step at a time and before they know it they have lost Jesus. It is dangerous to think that we are right with God when we are not. Is God’s Spirit vibrant in your heart or have you already moved from Him. Well news flash, Jesus is right there where you left Him, at that secret place of prayer not visited in a while, or at the house of worship you went to long time ago, or in the argument that caused a family split. You can lose your sense of the Lord Jesus while doing all the festivities of Christmas.
Is it then wrong to celebrate?
Do we have reason to celebrate?
Listen to this poem called GOD’S OWN SON
As Mary rocks her baby boy she’s filled with sadness, filled with joy. She looks upon that tiny face and sees the hope of every race. Her heart is filled with a mother’s glow and she never wants to let him go.
She’ll see him run and laugh and play and longs to keep him safe each day. His life won’t be an easy one, his destiny hard as GOD’S OWN SON
Mary sees the miracles he’ll perform, the lepers healed and free from scorn. The lame will walk, the blind will see. She sees his love will set us free. And then she sees him on a cross. She feels his pain and feels our loss. She knows his life must come to this. She sheds a tear and gives a kiss. His life won’t be an easy one, his destiny hard as GOD’S OWN SON.
So as Christmas time draws near and we are all so busy here with shopping, baking, trees of green. Let us ask what does this really mean? Let us take a moment from the fuss and think of all their gifts to us. A mother’s love, a baby boy, peace and comfort, love and joy. HE WAS BORN FOR EVERYONE.
Turn with me to Matthew 1:18-25 and read
The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn't know that.) Joseph chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced. While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God's angel spoke in the dream: "Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married. Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus, 'God saves', because he will save his people from their sins." This would bring the prophet's embryonic sermon to full term: Watch for this, a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; They will name him Emmanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us"). Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God's angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus.
So do we have reason to celebrate, yes I think that we do
- GOD IS WITH US
VERSE 23, you and I have a friend that sticks closer than a brother, a friend that connects with us. His name is Jesus.
- GOD IS IN US
The Holy Spirit sent by God is in us to seal us, to guide us, to comfort us, to teach and empower us for Christian service. God offers us the freedom, the certainty so we can know for sure where we stand with God.
Colossians 1:27
Christ is in you; therefore you can look forward to sharing in God's glory.
- GOD IS FOR US
Romans 8:31
What shall we then say to these things, if God be for us who can be against us?
God paid for our sins with his son and because of that we now get to dine with God in heaven. A guy called CHUCK SWINDOLL IN THE GRACE AWAKENING wrote:
If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator.
If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.
If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist.
If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.
But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a savior.
So do we celebrate, yes , yes we do. Now there are many ways to celebrate which are not appropriate. I am sure most of us know some of those ways. Those are not the ways I am talking about. I AM TALKING ABOUT TO BE A LIGHT AT CHRISTMAS, TO PUT THE CHRIST BACK INTO YOUR CHRISTMAS.
How, well there are many ways, I will share some of them with you:
Less of me, more of others:
The first thing we need to do is to work towards a more selfless attitude, we are so focused on ourselves and in the hustle of Christmas that we miss the people God has put in front of us and even God Himself. We need to be READY to share with others the message of Jesus. People don’t care how much or what you know until they know how much you CARE. We need to OBEY a life of obedience to Christ is the best witness; our actions speak louder than words. CONSIDER your Christmas traditions, your youngsters learn from you, is it Christ honored traditions? GUARD your heart from the worldliness of Christmas, don’t lose Jesus from being your center. SERVE your family and friends with a heart like Jesus. LISTEN and you will hear what is needed. Have a CARE, there are many people who do not have what you have, or cannot do what you do. INVITE people to a church service, it may just be what they were looking for. GIVE, a hug, a bible, some word. FORGIVE, this may be the last Christmas together for none of us know what the future holds, God forgave you. PARTY WITH PURPOSE, invite people you know those who don’t want to go to church and Christians to your house and see how God opens doors. And the list goes on and on. Mostly say please and thank you, people appreciate it. Give thanks to God for those people in your life and for His saving grace. LOVE like there is no tomorrow for God is love and it is time for you to share the love you have inside.
I don’t know if you will find everything you want under the tree on Christmas morning. I do not know if any dreams will come true. But one thing is for sure, if God is with you and in you and for you, then you HAVE NOT LOST JESUS AND YOURS WILL BE A WHITE CHRISTMAS. LET US PRAY.
