The Christmas Spirit
This morning I want to ask you two questions; First What is the Christmas Spirit? And second do you have it?
As together we explore this question, listen to this story entitled the “Christmas Spirit.
“Pardon me, Sir, I’m a stranger in town. I thought you might be able to tell me what’s going on.”
“Sure, anything. Glad to help. Now, what do you mean, what’s going on?” “Oh, I get it you are stranger! A foreigner on American soil. Well, stranger, this is what we call the Christmas season. All of those decorations that you see are there to help us get the Christmas Spirit. And all the people that you see are doing their Christmas shopping.
“Christmas shopping, you say? Do people shop more at Christmas than at other times? And what is this Christmas spirit? And is this Christmas Spirit a good thing all The people I see look all hurried and worn out; and some even look angry.”
“Oh, yes, stranger, people shop more at Christmas. Some people even buy so much they go way in debt. You see, we buy gifts for each other; and then on Christmas Eve we have parties and family gatherings and exchange gifts.”
“Oh, that sounds interesting. Now Does everyone get just what he needs? Now over there I see a lot of poor people. Do you exchange gifts with them, too?”
“Oh, no, we don’t always get just what we need, but that’s not the idea. And we don’t expect the poor
people to give us anything. But most of us give 50 cents or so to help them have a Merry Christmas.”
“Say, friend, I don’t want to seem too ignorant, but these funny looking people dressed in red and wearing long white beards, who are they?”
“Boy, you really are a stranger! Those are Santa Clauses. Santa Claus is the symbol of Christmas.
Nobody seems to know for sure when or where Santa Claus started; but we tell our children that at
Christmas Santa comes and brings them gifts. They really get excited. Yeah, Santa and Christmas
really go together.”
“That does sound exciting. But look over there while we were talking, a man fell down in the gutter there.
Shouldn’t we help him up? No one else has offered to.”
“Oh, he’s all right. Probably had an office party and drank his gift all at one time. That’s the way some
celebrate Christmas. Just anything for a good time.”
“Yes, I see, anything for a good time. Say, there’s some rather interesting music coming from that store, but every now and then I hear a song about a white Christmas. I think I understand that one, too. That one about city sidewalks dressed up in holiday style seems appropriate. But there’s one in there that sounds like, Joy to the World, the Lord is come. What does that mean?”
“Well, stranger, I can’t explain that too well. You see, there are a few religious fanatics who claim that
Christmas has something to do about a baby called Jesus. I don’t know too much about it, but I guess
some people used to think that Christmas was His birthday. Anyway, they wrote a lot of mushy songs
about it and most of the old timers still sing them. Some of the churches still teach them to the kids, I
guess. I suppose the stores play one now and then to be sure they get the trade from those people who call themselves Christians.”
“I’d like to know more about these songs and that story. Do you know anyone who could tell me more?”
“No, I don’t, stranger. I never went for that stuff myself. I’ll stick to the real kind of Christmas.- one full of meaning and excitement in . But you might find someone in that church around the corner who could tell you something.”
“Oh, I hope so. I think I’ll go see. Thank you for telling me all about Christmas. I am sorry to seem so dumb, but this is all so new to me.”
“That’s perfectly all right, stranger. Glad to oblige. Anything to pass on the Christmas spirit. By the way, what did you say your name was?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, didn’t I tell you? I go by several names, BUT THOSE WHO KNOW ME BEST JUST CALL
ME JESUS.”
So what is the Christmas Spirit? Perhaps it is best defined as an attitude, a philosophy, or perhaps simply a warm and fuzzy feeling. A journey towards experiencing the perfect Christmas. This journey goes in many different directions, but for the believer our journey should lead us in one direction arriving at one end point and his name is Jesus.
So as believers where should the Christmas spirit take us and how should it affect us.
First, THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT IS PRAISE AND WORSHIP
Matthew 2:11 “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him.”
The wise men, the three kings when they found Jesus, fell down and worshiped him. And still today WISE PEOPLE STILL WORSHIP JESUS.
Listen to this letter written to God: : “You see, God, it’s like this. We could attend church more faithfully if your day came at some other time. You have chosen a day that comes at the end of a hard week and we’re all tired out.
“Not only that, but it’s a day following Saturday night, and Saturday night is when we got out and have
a good time. Often it is after midnight when we get home, and it is almost impossible to get up on Sunday morning.
“And you must realize that you have picked a day which has the biggest newspaper and takes longer to read. And it’s the day when the biggest meal of the week must be prepared. We’d like to go to church and know we should, but you have just chosen the wrong day.”
Now maybe you and I wouldn’t come right out and talk to God like this, but in our life practices we communicate just that- Coming up with all kinds of excuses to not worship Jesus.
Brethren, the true Christmas spirit is about praising and worshipping our wonderful Christ!
Phil. 2:8-11 says this “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even the death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
One day all we will worship either because we choose or after death because God chooses.
Second THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT IS sharing Jesus
Luke 2:17 “When they (the shepherds) had seen him (the Christ child), they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.”
Those early shepherds spread the word about the Christ.
Acts 8:4 says of the early Christians, “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”
The early Christians spread the good news about the Lord Jesus wherever they went: in the marketplaces, from house to house, in their daily living, everywhere. AND WE NEED TO DO THE SAME THING.
The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, “If the kingdom is ever to come to our Lord, it will never come through a few ministers, missionaries, or evangelists preaching the Gospel. It must come
through every one of you preaching it in the shop and by the fireside, when walking abroad and when
sitting in the chamber. You must always be endeavoring to save someone...” Spurgeon was saying
that preaching the Word of God in the churches is not enough to get the job done!
If Christmas is about anything at all, it is the matter of telling the world about the Christ who can save them from their sins and give them a home in heaven!
The Christmas Spirit is about sharing Jesus.
Finally, THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT IS about SERVING AND GIVING
Matthew 2:11 says of the wise men, “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.”
The Christmas’s that I remember the most was those where I chose to serve others and to give to those who had nothing.
In college One Christmas My friends and I had worked in a inner city neighborhood in Florence, South Carolina. We encouraged other churches and other students to adopt a family for Christmas. A couple of friends and myself chose to adopt one family. We brought them presents, and bags of groceries. But it was the response of their little five year that sticks with me, he opened up a bag a found raisons. He held that tiny box of sun dried fruit and danced around his home shouting Mom,. I have raisons. Look Mom raisons. As he danced around he actually cried a little again exclaiming look Mom, Raisons.
Giving and Serving is all about the Christmas Spirit. Giving to Jesus by serving others.
Heb. 13:16says “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
For me though it is far easier to give than receive. While in Seminary, after having to pay for an airline ticket to go to my grandfather’s funeral. Using my tuition money. When I returned back to my dorm room, I found that everyone in the dorm had given money to my roommate to give to me. Upon returning home God through my dorm mates had given me back all my tuition money.
Choose today to journey through your personal worship, evangelism, and service to connect with the true meaning of Christmas and in doing do connect with the true spirit of Christmas.
