Practical Faith

It's All for Him!

Rev. Dr. Nicholas A. Cash Episode 242

Jesus is the centerpiece of Christmastime! And all that goes along with this season is for Him! Garlands. Lights. Tinsel. Bows. Wrapping Paper. It’s all for Him! Songs and Symphonies. Parties and Caroling. Ugly Christmas sweaters. Goofy Office Gift Swaps. Classic door decorations. Cheesy Christmas movies. Even when we don’t know it – even when we don’t mean to celebrate Jesus – all of it is in celebration of the Arrival of Jesus!

Merry Christmas!  In British culture, they say, “Happy Christmas.”  In Hawai’i, they say “Mele-kalikimaka!”  All these greetings – they are ALL for Jesus!

Jesus is the centerpiece of Christmastime!  And all that goes along with this season is for Him!  Garlands.  Lights.  Tinsel.  Bows.  Wrapping Paper.
It’s all for Him!

Songs and Symphonies.  Parties and Caroling.  It’s all for Him!  Ugly Christmas sweaters.  Goofy Office Gift Swaps.  Classic door decorations.  Cheesy Christmas movies.  Special treats & desserts & baked goods.  All of it is in celebration of the Arrival of Jesus!

Even when we don’t know it – it’s for Him!  Even when we don’t mean to celebrate Jesus, that is still exactly what’s happening!  Everything we see & hear & share in over the month of December – it is all for Him!

I’ll stretch it even further: even all the secular Christmas music – all those songs about Santa & Frosty & Rudolph – yes, even all of that is for Him.  Now some might say, “Okay, now you’ve gone too far – that’s all make believe & commercialization & secular appropriation of a religious holiday…

But think about it this way: if Jesus never comes, then there is no Christmas to write songs about and play on the radio.  If Jesus never comes, then there is no Christianity.  If Jesus never comes, then there is no real Christian saint from the fifth century, named Nicolaus, on which the fictional character of Santa Claus (and all the traditions surrounding him) would be based.

If God had not come to earth – if Jesus had not been born – there would be no Christmas.  There would be no Christianity.  There would be no salvation from sin.  There would be no hope for the future.

So ALL of the celebrations at this time of year – ALL of the joy & specialness of this season – they would not exist apart from Jesus!  But because of Him – because of the Advent of Jesus – the coming and arrival of God’s Son to earth – we celebrate.  The whole world celebrates!

All of the trees & gifts & decorations & music & food – it’s like the whole world is throwing Jesus one gigantic, month-long birthday party!  Even when people don’t realize what they are doing, it is still Jesus & His birth that is being celebrated!  That’s what this is all about!

[underlay a music bed of Silent Night or Away in a Manger or O Come All Ye Faithful…]

Listen now to the Miraculous Story of the Arrival of the Son of God to earth, as told in the Gospel of Luke:

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Merry Christmas to you!  May all that you see & hear & taste & experience throughout this joyous month be done in celebration of the Arrival of the Son of God to the world for our salvation!