Monday, December 6, 2010

Christians and Christmas


Here are just a few suggestions to direct our attention to the Lord Jesus in the days leading up to Christmas.

* Read carefully – Reread the gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth in the days leading up to Christmas. Perhaps read them aloud with others.

* Sing thoughtfully – Christmas carols are so familiar we often sing them with little thought about what the words mean. Make an effort to meditate on the truths you are singing.

* Think biblically – The birth of Jesus makes no sense if it is disconnected from the rest of scripture and the gospel. You may even want to spend time thinking about Easter. Why did God become a man anyway? There is a direct line from the manger to the cross.

* Live missionally – Look for opportunities to share and explain the story of Christmas. We are fond of saying that Jesus is the ‘reason for the season,’ but we must be ready to explain why. We need to share the underlying message about man’s hopelessness, because of our sin, and God’s grace in providing the solution in Christ. We can sing carols, give gifts and say ‘Merry Christmas’ all we want, but if we don’t share the whole story we have missed it.

* Celebrate prayerfully – Pray for your lost friends and family with whom you will be gathering for Christmas. Ask God to open their hearts to receive Christ and ask for boldness, wisdom and grace as you interact with them.

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