The Good Tidings
Luke 2:10-12
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Though Christmas should be a happy and blessed time as we celebrate the gift of God’s Son, it often becomes a hectic and frantic time as every minute is filled with shopping, parties, travel and extra work. The poet and humorist Ogden Nash wrote, “Christmas was once the season of peace and good will; Now it’s the holiday it’s so many shopping days left until.”
It is a tragedy if we lose sight of the simple and vital message that is at the heart of this special time of year. The point is not getting the most packages under the tree or impressing the neighbors with our display of Christmas lights. The point is that we are celebrating the coming of the Saviour—the greatest gift that ever has or ever could be given. Christmas is not a commercial invention designed to sell things, but instead a spiritual celebration.
The fact that God loved us enough to give His Son for our salvation should be at the center of our thoughts and activities at Christmas. The meaning of the season cannot be found anywhere but in the message the angels brought to the shepherds that night near Bethlehem. And as we celebrate, we should also do what the shepherds did when they returned from seeing Jesus in the manger—tell others what we have heard and seen. This is a wonderful time of year to share the Gospel with family and friends and remind them that the Saviour has come.
Growth Principle:
Do not allow the hectic pace of the Christmas season to make you forget the Gift we are celebrating.