Journeys Through Life as a Child of God "Celebrating Christ, the Reason for CHRISTmas!"

Let me share with you the simple lesson which I shared with children in worship this past Sunday. Perhaps this Advent reading can help us to focus on God’s Christmas love. In the Gospel Lesson for the Third Sunday of Advent, the Apostle John taught about John the Baptist. Therefore, during the children’s message I showed the children a picture of John, and I asked them who he was. They knew a little about John. So, my next question, as they looked at the picture of John was, “Is this Jesus?” The obvious answer was and is, “No!” John is not Jesus. The children replied to my question with their enthusiastic, “No!”

In fact, that is what John the Baptism said of himself in last Sunday’s reading. “19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.’" (John 1:19-20) John had caught the attention of the people of his time because of his strange appearance and his powerful preaching. But, in spite some personal fame, John was not Jesus. John came to point us TO Jesus. So, John had to tell the people, ‘I am not the Christ.’

Next, I showed the children another picture. This one portrayed a rotund man in a red suit and a snowy white beard. You know the guy. I asked the children, “Is this Jesus?” One little girl did smile and sheepishly say, “Yes.” But, then she knew Santa is not Jesus. She shouted out, “It’s Santa!!!” Like John, Santa is not Jesus either.

In reality, sometimes adults get this wrong just like the little girl. We can replace the Jesus of that first Christmas with the Christmas of our culture. Our world often forgets Jesus whose birth we celebrate, while in place of Jesus we remember reindeer, and singing of snow men, and focusing on presents, and rejoicing in seasonal music. No Santa is not Jesus. The trappings of the season are also not our Lord and Savior.

Finally, I showed the children one last picture. It was a picture of Santa kneeling at the manger praying to the baby Jesus. This one might cause you to scratch your head a little. History and tradition say there was indeed a St. Nicolas who lived in the area of present day Turkey during the second century. Nicolas was a leader of the early Christian church who was especially known for caring for the needy by giving unexpected gifts. St. Nick did point to Jesus, because he himself worshiped the Jesus of Christmas. The gifts St. Nicolas gave pointed to the gift God gave, our Savior Jesus.

John the Baptist could have accepted the adulation of the people of his time and could have gotten in the way of Jesus. The people seemed willing to consider John as the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise. Thankfully, John rejected their attention and he pointed the people to the one who is the Lord of all, “whose sandal John was not worthy to untie.” (John 1:27) John pointed to the Savior, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)

Christmas is ultimately and rightly about Jesus. Christmas celebrates the coming of the Son of God, the Savior of the world. Cultural Christmas celebrations can get in the way of Christ. Nevertheless, it is worth celebrating that God loves us so much he came to this world. It is worth celebrating that the Lord of the Universe humbled Himself so much to be born as a baby in a manger. It is worth celebrating that Jesus came to take on all the sin and all the problems and pain of this world through His birth, through His death, and through His resurrection. God’s love in Christ is WORTH celebrating!

I pray that your trees and presents, your worship and your family, point you to God’s love in the greatest gift ever. CHRISTmas blessings to you and your family

A Child of God, Celebrating Christ, the Reason for CHRISTmas!

Pastor Jonathan Rockey