OPEN: There was a preacher who said that (when he was young) he was an only child - for the first few Christmases. As a result, he got the impression that Christmas was all about HIM, and he said “That was the essence of real joy. I thought Christmas was all about me, and all I wanted for Christmas, and all that would make me happy. (He said) “I remember my parents taking me downtown to sit on Santa's lap and telling him what I wanted for Christmas. Because, that's what I thought Christmas was all about.” (Donald Cantrell)
There was a young boy wrote a letter to “Santa”, and in the letter he wrote this: “Dear Santa, you didn't bring me anything good last year. In fact, you didn't bring me anything good the year BEFORE either. This is your last chance. (Signed) Albert.” Now, what was that boy saying - was “Give me what I WANT for Christmas, OR THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES!
Now, it’s interesting, that one of the most popular Christmas songs these days is a song by Mariah Carey, entitled “ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU”. It’s a really good song and I’m going to try to sing it for you because it has a message i want to share with you tonight:
“I don't want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need. I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree. I just want you for my own. More than you could ever know. Make my wish come true - all I want for Christmas is you.”
Now I know I probably didn’t sing that as well as Mariah Carey did… but I like the song. It not only has a catchy tune, but it has a message that resonates. She’s saying - “Nothing else matters. the only thing I want for Christmas (is the person of my dreams).”
Most popular songs have that same theme: love, desire, and romance. We all want someone who will love and cherish us and tell us we’re important. Now Christmas has essentially the same message. Christmas is all about the fact that God loves you. In fact, He loves you so much that nothing else mattered. All He wants for Christmas … IS YOU. “For God so loved YOU that He gave His only begotten son that if you BELIEVE in Him, you’ll not perish but have everlasting life.” In that verse - God was declaring that He wants to love you, and to cherish you (PAUSE) and that He want to tell you that you were important to Him.
That was the message the angels gave the shepherds that night. We’re told “the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born unto you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
The angels declared that Jesus (OUR SAVIOR) was born UNTO US! As it says in Isaiah: “Unto us a son is born, unto us a son is given.” Jesus came unto US to be our savior, and to give us God’s peace, and His forgiveness.
Now, this is Christmas Eve and we’ve gathered here to remember what God’s given us. We pray… we sing carols… we read scripture… and we light candles. And we do all of that because we don’t want to forget that that God wants US; God wants OUR families; and God wants OUR kids. He sent us his Son because we’re important to Him.
And - it’s like we realize that if we don’t do THIS, our families might end up focusing on the presents underneath Christmas tree. And our kids might get the impression that it’s Santa Claus who can give THEM what they really want in this life.
And so, like the shepherds of old, we’ve come here to find Jesus. But He’s no longer lying in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes. He in heaven awaiting for that final day when the clouds will open and there will be the shout of an archangel, and the sound of the trumpet call of God. And (IF WE BELONG TO JESUS) we’ll rise up to meet HIM in the air... and so we will always be with the Lord.
ONE LAST THOUGHT: At Christmas, we place gifts under a tree. But as Christians we know that 2000 years ago, the GREATEST GIFT OF ALL took our place ON a tree so that we would have the GIFT of eternal life.
