Last Sunday, I was up at Bass Lake, California visiting my father, so we went to church together at the Little Church in the Pines, where Pastor Herk preached a message on what preparing for Christmas truly means. It was Holy Communion Sunday and Pastor Herk told us what this sacrament of the Eucharist instituted by Christ should communicate to our heart as Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me”. This means to actively stir up in your mind and meditate on the person of Jesus Christ. We are not to remember just one aspect of His person and work, but to actively meditate upon His position in the Godhead, His position as Savior and Lord and His life, death, resurrection and ascension into Heaven at the right hand of the God the Father, interceding for us until His return; what He did, what He is doing and what He is going to do for you & I.
The old covenant God made through the sacrificial blood of spotless animals has been set aside and a new covenant has been established through the atoning blood of Christ as a sinless sacrifice to God’s people for the remission of sin. This Holy Communion is to focus our attention on our Blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The children of God are to center our mind upon Him alone. The point is that Christ died for us that our sins may be paid for in full, and that we may live eternally with Him. The symbol of the Cross is that of what He did for us and what He is going to do for us when He returns, as it is a picture of our sinful past, of our current redemption and our future redemption when we will be conformed to His image in perfection.
Certainly, if we partake of the bread and the cup of Holy Communion with unconfessed, unrepented, willful sin in our heart and live, how could we be counted worthy of His mercy and grace? We have no righteousness of our own. We are worthy when we are walking in constant fellowship with Jesus; thinking upon Him, talking with Him through confession of our sins in thoughts, words and deeds, repentance, praise, and petitions. Have mercy upon us Lord Jesus. Forgive us of our sins. Cleanse us of all unrighteousness that we may walk in your ways and serve you in faith and love. This we ask in your holy name. Amen.
Luke 1:46-55 And Mary sad: “My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant; for behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name. And His mercy is to generation after generation toward those who fear Him. He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty-handed. He has given help to His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, just as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
Pastor Herk looked at some ways that we need to prepare for Christmas based upon those who were there for the very first Christmas. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit and share the real meaning of Christmas this time of year. Thanksgiving, where we give thanks to God for our many blessings, passes and the nation goes immediately into “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” sales for Christmas shopping. Christmas is supposed to be a season of comfort and joy. We decorate our homes, inside and out with festive, colorful and beautiful ornamentation celebrating Christ incarnate - Emmanuel. How much further could the Kingdom of Jesus Christ be advanced if all the time effort and money spent with given to the mission work and ministry of the Gospel? Yet, in the godly spirit in which Christmas is celebrated, it is a beautiful thing when it is done rightly as a celebration of Christ’s (the Savior of the world) birth - (God with us).
But, does everyone think about Christ at Christmas time? Every time you see the word Christmas, you see Christ. It is a time of year that you can find people wanting to hear about Christ and the Christmas story. So, it is an opportunity for Christians to share the Gospel message, if we do it right. With a great deal of time and money, we get ready for Christmas. Jesus Christ is the reason for the season. But, if it were up to the God-rejecting world, they would outlaw the baby Jesus in a manger, and have in many cases. They outlaw Jesus Christ from the public square, if they could, but have forbid any mention of him. They don’t even want the term Christmas even used for this season and holiday. They want the day that has been celebrated for 19 centuries as the birthday celebration of the Savior of the world and make it no longer a holy day. Don’t tell me that the devil is not alive and active in this country. May the scales fall from the eyes of those lost in sin and unbelief to see the true meaning of Christmas and the gospel of salvation. No matter what the secular world says and does, Christmas has always been and will always be a spiritual holiday.
What makes people get so caught up in the physical side, that they neglect and miss the spiritual side of what Christmas is all about? It is all about Jesus, God with us in the flesh, the arrival of the promised Messiah, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, the “suffering servant”, Savior of the world. Jesus loves you. I challenge you, every day for now on, to say “Jesus loves you” to a stranger. Imagine if every one of us went out daily and said “Jesus loves you” to a stranger. How many people would you touch for Christ? A simple little phrase: “Jesus loves you” can make all the difference.
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