Sell-a-brate or Celebrate? Christmas Reality!

I can’t believe I haven’t written anything in the last little while!  OMG!  But here we are at Christmas time!  The pastoral team here at VHC is running full speed.  Yep!  It can get crazy around this time of year.  This year we have our children’s special titled “Back to the Manger!”  If you’re in the area or within driving distance you will want to come and see the program.  I’ve always said no one can do Christmas like kids!

I couldn’t believe how soon stores started putting out their Christmas decorations.  I think every year they start a little earlier.   I saw a cartoon last week somewhere that depicted two kids talking.  One said to the other, “It seems we have to start being good earlier every year!”  Somehow I can’t add anything to that statement!

I barked for years about Christmas being too commercialized.  I barked about it being a sell-a-bration instead of a celebration.  I barked and growled…and no one really listened.  No one at all!  I came across as Pastor Scrooge!   I guess I just got caught up in the…well…sell-a-bration instread of the celebration of Christmas.  Guilty as charged…I became the Scrooge.

I’ve come to the conclusion that the world of unbelievers is blind.  They don’t have a clue as to how to celebrate Christmas.  All they know to do is lean towards a sell-a-bration.  Make money.  They are blind to the real purpose of Christmas and anyone is who doesn’t Christ as Savior.  Our barking only makes things worse at times.   I remind you of what Paul the apostle said:                2 Corinthians 4:3-4    And even if our whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Barking about commercialization of Christmas isn’t spreading the good news!  It’s only aggravating the unbeliever who can’t see the end of his nose – spiritually speaking.  Yes, I understand that the commercialization is good to the degree that sales people get hired and the economy gets a boost.  Yes, I understand that families get together at Christmas who may not see each other for another year.  Yes, I understand that people will walk into our churches that have never given their life to Christ.  Yes, I understand all of it.  But where does that put you and I at this season?

As believers we have the awesome task of sharing a celebration!  Gift giving is to remind us that God is a giver!  He gave His Son so that you and I could receive eternal life.  We give gifts to put a smile on someone’s face.  We give in honor of the One who gave us Christ.  Christmas is about celebrating the birth of our Savior – outside of the resurrection and ascension – is the greatest of all miracles.  The human mind struggles to believe such a story but until the human mind surrenders to the soul and spirit within them by faith – they will never know or understand the “baby Jesus” story.  I do.  I met this baby.  I invited this baby Jesus into my heart in 1971.  Life has never been the same. How could it be?  

So we can either make a big deal about the sell-a-bration of Christmas or we can celebrate Christmas!  I’m going to celebrate the Lord!  I am going to join in that chorus the angels sang, “Peace on earth and good will toward men.”  Did you get that?  Good will toward men!  Hoping that something I do or say will enlighten the eyes of those who are blind.   Can we speak good will toward the blind?  Can we gift the blind with the reality of Christmas?

I saw a man with a white cane the other day down town.  He tapped his way up to a stop light.  He waited and then someone came up behind him and gave him directions, held his arm and helped him across the street.  That was symbolic for you and I as believers.  We are to help those who are blind – not frustrate them.  They are in their own way celebrating Christmas…and maybe…just maybe someone will take them by the arm and help them across the street of confusion, disillusionment, pain, suffering, grief, anger, bitterness and loneliness.  Could that someone just possibly be you?

Let’s celebrate Christmas instead of sell-a-brating Christmas.  The world will sell-a-brate Him rather they realize it or not.  But you and I as believers can certainly celebrate the birth of our Savior.  Buy some one who is not expecting a gift from you a gift and then tell them you’re celebrating the greatest  of all – the Savior!