Christmas

What does your Christmas say about your Christ?

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

Most of our communication is nonverbal.  What we say is hardly as important as how and where and the way in which we say it.  ‘I love you,’ can be meaningful or it can seem hollow, all depending on the accompanying nonverbals.  So, I began thinking, what do the nonverbals of Christmas say about my Christ?  In other words, does how I celebrate Christ accurately reflect who I believe Christ to be?

Let me illustrate.  Christ promises to give peace and rest to those who will follow Him.  Thus, my life should reflect a growing sense of peace and rest.  Yet, during Christmas time most of us become busier than a 1-armed paperhanger.  Between decorating, baking, parties, Church, cooking, meals, etc, we barely have time to breathe, let alone reflect the peace and rest of Christ to a busy world.

So, the question becomes, does a lifestyle of hurry and busyness celebrate the giver of peace and rest?  Or, is it another example of the radical disconnect between the Jesus revealed in Scriptures and those of us who claim to follow Him today?

Yes … There IS a Santa « Ronald Fox’s Blog

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Written by a brother of mine . . .

I have family in town this week.  The good kind.  The kind that if you had the room you’d want them and their brood to stay with you.  The kind you don’t get to spend enough time with.  That sort.  Anyway, we went to one of the holiday offerings in Orlando at one of the Theme Parks that has a special ticketed event that serves all the cookies, hot chocolate, apple juice and pre-packaged apple slices one can possibly consume, as well as parades, decor, and offerings unique to the season.  Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.  This is a winter wonderland for kids of all ages.  Unlimited cookies?  What gets better than that.  And the brilliant logic as a parent is to let your child consume as many as possible and then flame out in a brilliant buzz of sugar-induced energy which ultimately results in a good night’s sleep for all.  Sometimes.

via Yes … There IS a Santa « Ronald Fox’s Blog.

Read the whole thing.  It’s worth it.

An Advent Story

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

In 1983, a movie premiered that soon became a Christmas classic across America.  A Christmas Story tells the tale of Ralphie, a young boy who wants nothing more than a Red Ryder© b-b gun for Christmas.  The movie unfolds as Ralphie tries to convince his mother, a teacher and even Santa Claus that this is the ideal present for him.  At each turn Ralphie’s request is rejected, with the same admonishment, “You’ll shoot your eye out.”  Despite these set backs, Ralphie never gives up hope that Christmas morning will deliver him the object of his desire.

So it is on Christmas that Ralphie flies down the stairs, tossing aside wrapped presents left and right.  He digs into the pile of gifts looking for a box that might contain his coveted rifle.  After opening everything else, Ralphie finally discovers the long, rectangular box that contains the Red Ryder© rifle.

I don’t enjoy this movie because of the fine acting, cinematography or script.  What I enjoy most about it is the connection nearly every child has with Christmas.  Most of us, at some point, looked forward to Christmas with that same longing.  Many of us can remember a Christmas where we wanted one gift more than anything else, we can identify with Ralphie’s quest to receive that gift.  That expectation, the hope and the joy provide us with glimpses of Advent.

Advent is a time to remember the hope-filled expectation of the Messiah’s coming.  For generations the Israelites waited, longing for the Messiah.  They faced set backs—enslavement, oppression and defeat—yet they maintained their hope that one day Messiah would come.  When he came, he would usher in the time of a New Covenant, when all of God’s promises would be fulfilled.  He would save them from sin, condemnation and slavery.

While Christmas is not about trees, gifts and such, childlike anticipation and joy recall the anticipation and joy of Christ’s first Advent.  In a few weeks we will again celebrate the greatest gift ever given.  May you capture the anticipation and hope of Advent as you prepare for Christmas morning.

Christmas Island

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

As I listen to this classic American Christmas song, I wondered if that’s just not about the best way to celebrate the birth of Christ.

In Matthew 11:28, 29, Jesus offers peace and rest to those who will follow Him.  Yet, when it comes to celebrating His birth, peace and rest are two qualities often missing from the celebration.  Between decorating, cooking, baking, parties, shopping, wrapping, worshipping and all the other Christmas Season must-do events, we often become haggard, tired and frustrated.  Some of us even breath a sigh of relief when Christmas is over, because the most-stressful time of the year is gone.

But, should it be this way?  Would Christ want us greeting His arrival with stress and busyness or with quiet contemplation or with restful peace?  I  believe that allowing Christmas to become stressful completely misses the point of who Christ is, and what He wants for us.

So let me invite you to evaluate the next two weeks and deep six anything that’s going to keep you from experiencing Christ’s rest this Christmas.

Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem?

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Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem follows the promises made through the Prophets. In Micah 5:2 the Lord promised, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” That promised ruler, a baby with ancient origins, is Jesus.
Another important aspect of Bethlehem is Jesus’ lineage. According to Matthew, Jesus’ earthly father is a descendant of King David. The Lord promised David, “your house and your kingdom shall endure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.” Because Bethlehem is David’s home, and because Christ is the promised King, who will rule forever, it is fitting He should be born in Bethlehem, the city of David.
In order for this prophecy to be fulfilled, Joseph and Mary needed to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The census ordered by Caesar required Joseph to travel to his ancestral home of Bethlehem. Through this census, the prophecy of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem was fulfilled.
Jesus’ birthplace connects Him with David, the greatest of Israel’s kings and fulfills the promise that the Savior would be born in Bethlehem. Far from an accident or coincidence, God shows His hand in the birthplace of the Christ.

A Very Merry Christmas

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A benefit to parents living in Orlando is regular trips to Disney World.  So, after spending Thanksgiving in Orlando, my wife and I carted our three children off to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom.  With much anticipation our brood nearly came undone as we crossed the Seven-Seas Lagoon on a Ferry bound for fun and frivolity.

My wife had planned this evening for months.  She was as tightly wound as any of the children, and her head overflowed with great expectations of wonderful family memories.  Then an interesting thing occurred.  To a person, we were disappointed.  The event completely failed to live up to our hopes and dreams.  As we left the park, some hours later, we left feeling like we’d been robbed.

What a wonderful illustration to prepare us for Christmas.

Each one of us longs for joy, peace, hope and satisfaction.  We desire to be filled up and completed, so that we long for nothing.  And we try to find those qualities in so many places.  Gifts, food, family, celebration and fond memories are just some ways we seek to satisfy our souls at Christmas.  Yet, in each case we are left wanting.  Every celebration ends, every gift wears out and even memories fade.  We are left still needing something that can satisfy, someone who can delivery joy, peace and hope.

At Christmas we celebrate the only One who can deliver.  In Christ all the promises of God are answered.  In Christ we are satisfied.  As I left Orlando, I made it my prayer that I would seek my satisfaction only in Christ, and that I might find it there.  This advent, may Christ be your satisfaction too.