Christmas

I’ll never forget hearing Dr. Tom Malone say, “When God wants to do something great, He starts with the difficult. But when He wants to do something miraculous, He starts with the impossible.”

I’ve always liked hearing oxymorons. They are often ironically humorous. The word oxymoron itself comes from oxus which means “sharp” and moros which means “dull.”

It’s true that Christmas may not be as festive or lighthearted as past years, but even in the face of the bad news of our world and in our lives, the good news of God should resound in our hearts and minds as we enter the Christmas season: God is with us. I am reminded of the angel’s message to the shepherds:

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.—Luke 2:10–11

There have been years on which Christmas Eve was my best day of Christmas shopping—not because it was the best of several good days, but because it was my only day! Covid-19 put me a little ahead this year, because I purchased my gifts online.

I love giving to Terrie, our children, and our grandchildren. But as we approach Christmas this week, I’m mindful of the fact that Christmas itself is a gift. Christmas is when we received Emmanuel—God with us!

And with Jesus’ very presence, He gives us gifts:

At Lancaster Baptist Church, we give “Christmas gifts to Jesus.” It’s an opportunity for us as a church to tangibly give to the Lord whose birthday we celebrate, and it’s a great way for children to be reminded of the real purpose of Christmas.

Christmas will be difficult for many this year. Perhaps the death of loved ones is becoming incredibly real all over again, or maybe financial hardships have brought a family to the breaking point. I hurt deeply for those who are struggling, suffering, or sorrowing this Christmas.

Have you ever been invited for a special event, only to find out that there was no space for you to sit at the table? I can remember many times being invited as a guest to a dinner event or speaking conference, but somehow the host did not have a spot for me to sit!

In the 1700’s, Isaac Watts penned the words to a song that is very popular at this time of the year, “Joy to the World.” It’s not unusual to hear the song sung or played in shopping malls, restaurants, school plays, and of course, church services. According to Watts’ testimony, the source of inspiration for the lyrics was the 98th Psalm.

At Christmastime, our church holds many special Christmas services—including “The Journey of Christmas” event with live drama and a gospel message.

The Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons can be a combination of great joy and, oddly, some melancholy. They mark the coming and going of not only the literal seasons of fall to winter, but they also mark the passing of seasons in our lives.

A few years ago, I wrote a little book titled Christmas Is a Gift. In it, I pointed out that Christmas itself is the gift of Christ’s presence: Emmanuel—God with us! But if Christmas is a gift, how do we unwrap it? How do we celebrate the gift, not just enjoy the wrapping?

“Mom, what is up with great grandpa? He is all dressed up and rushing around. Where is he going?”

We know that Jesus is the reason for the season. But how much of our season actually is centered around celebrating Christ?

This is the season we hear the friendly words “Merry Christmas” all around us. It is a gracious greeting. It is a sentimental statement. Yet, while the phrase itself is very endearing to so many of us, the truth is that many people have no idea what it truly means to be merry.

Christmas might very well be the most wonderful time of the year…but it is also the busiest! I know for our ministry, the time between now and Christmas is packed with activity—extra Christmas outreach, special Christmas services, and unique opportunities for ministry. On top of all of that, we have our annual Vision Sunday just two weeks after Christmas.

I love Christmas! Growing up, I loved to wake up on Christmas morning to the smell of the gas heater and peek in the living room to see if “Santa” had come during the night. Sure enough, he had come and delivered bunches of presents wrapped in red Santa paper.

“I love to tell the story of Jesus and His love,” declared the songwriter, Katherine Hankey.

The Christmas season is always a time of challenge and wonder in the area of preaching. One of my favorite texts comes from Luke chapter two where Joseph and Mary take Jesus to the temple.

One of the reasons I love the Christmas season is that it is such a great time of year for initiating gospel conversations. Between the special church events and the fact that many people still do want to go to church to celebrate Christmas, this is also the easiest time of year to invite people to church.

More than any other time, I love Christmas! Perhaps it is because I was born in December. Perhaps it is because I have fond memories of growing up in Ohio, sipping warm chocolate, overlooking mounds of lake-effect snow. Perhaps it is because it is one of the few times each year when my wife and I can have all of our children together under one roof again. But I love Christmas!