By Pastor Mark Lee
Christmas really is the happiest time of the year. When you’re a kid, you go to bed at night, dreaming of sugarplums, and for the most part, you woke up and got whatever you wanted! All you really had to do was get a catalog, circle whatever you wanted, and there it was. Your brand new Malibu Barbie.
Then, you grew up. And somewhere along the way, Christmas lost its snap. No wonder! In three weeks, we try and fit in 10 Christmas parties, buy presents for everyone we’ve ever met, bake every cookie we’ve ever heard of and consume 12 times the normal number of calories. It’s easy to get distracted during Christmas.
Instead of being a time where everything magically comes together, sometimes Christmas just brings out the worst in us. And all of a sudden, I become more like the Grinch and suddenly I’m treating people the way they treat me. And so the question that we want to ask is this – is it possible to have a merry Christmas? Is it possible to have a merry Christmas time even when the turkey doesn’t come out perfect? Is it possible to have a happy holidays even if she shows up or even if he’s in a bad mood? It is possible if we go back 2000 years to the original meaning of Christmas.
Luke 14:8-11- 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
Good news…of great joy. The good news of Christmas is that God decided to surprise you and I with a gift, and not one that you’d want to regift either. Even though we’re always looking to fill our emptiness with stuff, God decided He’d give us the one thing that would never leave us empty…the gift of Himself.
Come celebrate the greatest gift of all at VantagePoint Church. 5 Christmas Services - Dec 22nd @ 5pm, Dec 23rd @ 5pm & Dec 24th @1, 3 & 5pm. http://www.VantagePointChurch.org.
