You know it’s Christmas when....

• ·      Radio stations start playing Christmas music 24/7
• ·      You put up your Christmas decorations
• ·      There are Salvation Army kettles and bell ringers at the stores
• ·      There is a decorated tree in your house
• ·      You start seeing Christmas lights in your neighborhood
• ·      The malls have Santa chairs and Santa Elves
• ·      You sing Christmas carols when you’re alone in the car
• ·      You start seeing “Happy Holidays” and “Merry Xmas” signs

But do these things really mean Christmas?

What is Christmas really all about?

While the music and decorations can be enjoyable, they don’t make Christmas. I doubt if there were any decorations around the manger when Jesus was born. The only music that was heard was the sound of the angels giving glory to God, not welcoming Santa Claus to town or dreaming of a White Christmas. I’m sure there wasn’t any snow in Bethlehem the night Jesus was born.

Christmas is not about presents, but about presence. Christmas is the Good News that God is present in our world, that God’s Son entered our world for us. Jesus is the Son of God who came to rescue us from sin and death to give us forgiveness and life. Christmas is the Good News that God loves us and wants to restore us to His family.

Christmas is more than just another holiday or an excuse to buy and give presents. Christmas is the holy day that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the greatest gift of all. Christmas would lose its meaning without Christ. That is why we celebrate Christmas, not “Xmas.”

Christmas would also lose its meaning without the rest of the story. Jesus didn’t stay in the manger. It couldn’t hold him. 33 years after the first Christmas, Jesus was nailed to a cross. But it couldn’t hold him either. When Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross and placed in a tomb, the tomb couldn’t hold him either. Jesus rose from the dead on Easter morning, victorious over sin and death.

Jesus is alive and wants to live in us. Christmas is Christmas when we receive the gift of God’s Son, believe that Jesus is our Savior and introduce other people to Jesus. After all, He is God’s Christmas gift to us all. He is the joy of the world, the Prince of Peace.

Merry Christmas to all!

Larry Courson

Pastor of Peace