How Are Your Preparations Going?
How are your preparations going? In Advent we are told to “prepare,” and we all get ready for Christmas in our own way. People have personal traditions that they associate with this time of year. Some make special cookies and candies and foods that they don’t make any other time of the year. My wife does very little baking, but she spent a lot of time last week baking a special bread that she shares with others during this season. Some folks have parties. Lots of people wear “ugly Christmas sweaters.” Others believe it would not be Christmas if you did not travel to be with family members. You might take a night to drive around and look at lights and decorations. And most of us do some shopping for gifts.
There is nothing wrong with any of these things in and of themselves. As disciples of Jesus, I guess the question we need to consider when talking about traditions is, “Do they enhance the celebration of our Savior’s birth or do they detract from it?”
One little girl asked her mother, “If Christmas is really about God, why do we hear so much more about Santa?” Her mother responded, “God doesn’t advertise as much.”
There is some truth to that statement. Those of us who follow Jesus don’t advertise enough. We should be walking, talking, living, breathing advertisements for our Savior. We have the best news ever, announced by angels to shepherds over 2000 years ago, but just as relevant and important today: A Savior has been born for you. He is Christ, the Lord!
Maybe some of your traditions can help advertise the Good News of His birth. At the church I served most of my ministry, we had a group that went caroling every year to share the message of Jesus’ birth in song. My wife and I gave gifts to all the members of our congregation to reinforce that Good News. And our worship services point to Jesus as the only real hope for people. How do your traditions share the wonderful message of our Savior’s birth?
The reason we need to keep our focus on Jesus during this time of year is simple: without Jesus, we would have no hope. We would be doomed to destruction and eternal separation from God because of our sin.
2 Corinthians 5:19 “But God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting men’s sins against them.”
That was all part of God’s plan. He was crucified to pay for the sins of everyone. That’s why He came. His resurrection sealed the deal, proclaiming His victory over death and the grave for everyone. Faith in Him assures you of forgiveness and eternity with Him. All that started with the birth we celebrate later this month.
A favorite quote of mine (that I probably use way too often) comes from the late Yogi Berra: “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” I hope you all do that this Advent and Christmas. Keep Jesus the main thing. And may we all say together: “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
