Posts Tagged ‘Christmas Season’
Second Sunday of Christmastide-Jan 4
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Jan
Those who feel forgotten. (1/2/2021) 1/1/2022 Christmas is a time when we remember that Christ came to His people to reveal the nature of God and to show us a better way to live; a way of peace and love. This should be a time when we should draw together as a family and draw together as a church family. We need to bring some light into their life just as Christ brought light into the world for us. We should seek those around us who will not know the joy of Christmas unless we share it with them We need to take time to reach out to those around us who may be alone, whose families are gone or far away, and have no friends close. By visiting, we remind them that we have not forgotten them and God has not forgotten them either. Some may be able to invite them to share Christmas with their family so they do not have to spend Christmas alone. There are also many who are burdened with heavy cares, or who have lost loved ones, are shut-in and cannot get out, and let them know they are not forgotten and are not alone. We need to bring some light into their life just as Christ brought light into the world for us. Some will not share the joy of Christmas because of financial needs and cannot afford special gifts. The church can help brighten their Christmas. A growing number of Christians are deciding that instead of giving each other gifts they don’t need, they will put that money into buying gifts for those that might not otherwise receive gifts, or by supporting Christmas programs by organizations in their local area like The Salvation Army, or abroad like Samaritan’s Purse or simply giving gifts to neighbors they know who might not otherwise know the joy of Christmas. Christmas is also a great time to teach your kids the value of giving and the greatest gift they can give is themselves. Volunteer as a family to help a local church, social service agency, day care, hospital, or nursing home. Many have special programs at Christmas that need volunteers.
First Sunday of Christmastide-Dec 28
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Dec
Many people are glad that the mad scramble to get ready for Christmas is over. Many were so busy they forgot what Christmas is all about. Most people don’t realize that Christmas isn’t over, it actual runs for twelve days from Dec 25th to Jan 5th (few people think about the words in the song-“Twelve days of Christmas”). This time is called Christmastide. Now that the commercial Christmas is over, we can relax and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas occurs on the shortest day of the year to remind us that when things were darkest and it seemed there was no hope, God came down to us in the form of a baby and dwelt among us. God revealed Himself to His people and He is with us. His presence changed the world forever. He isn’t someone up there in heaven, who is unreachable. He cared enough to come to us in our time of greatest need and is still here when we need Him. However, He didn’t just come to share a meal or something, He came to show us a new way to live. Our ways are selfish and filled with conflict but He came to show us a way to live in peace with one another and help one another. As we start the new year, let us commit ourselves to learning more about how He wants us to live and seek to grow in faith and seek to walk in the way He set before us.
Christmas Day Dec 25
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Dec
The True Meaning-The color for Christmas is White symbolizing purity and light reminding us of Christ’s coming.-Many people work frantically to get things ready for Christmas Day and then suddenly it is over and past. Often the true meaning of Christmas is buried under the hurried rush to buy gifts. It is a time when we give gifts but we should remember that almost 2000 years ago, God gave us the best gift of all. He sent His Son to die on the Cross and opened the way to fellowship with God and enabled us to find everlasting peace through that fellowship. Christmas Day should be a time to resolve to work this coming year to draw closer to God and work to bring peace to that area that we touch in our daily lives. When you open your gifts this Christmas, open the Bible and reread the story of the Nativity and reflect on the greatest gift of all.
Fourth Sunday of Advent-Dec 21
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Dec
Hope While we know Christ was not born on December 25th because the shepherds would not have been out on the hillsides with the sheep in the winter, we actually have no idea when He was born because no date is recorded of His birth so one day is as good as another. The early church felt His birth was very important since it changed the world and felt it should be remembered. Dec 25th was chosen because it is the darkest day of the year. After that date, the days begin to get longer again. It is a good time to celebrate Christ who is the Light of the world, because it reminds us that when things were darkest, Jesus came to bring us hope. Like the days, the world isn’t instantly better, but it begins and builds little by little until we can see that things are brighter than they used to be. Many churches continue to provide valuable social services to individuals and Christian social services have a success rate far beyond that of government and even for-profit organizations because they often provide individual attention by individuals who care about their clients They often provide far more comprehensive services than other agencies as well. In addition, they provide hope of individual transformation through the power which comes from God
Advent
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Nov
As we prepare to celebrate Christ’s coming, we should search ourselves to see if we are worthy of His coming. Christmas comes at the time of the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah in which the Jews celebrated the cleansing of the temple after it had been plundered and defiled by the Syrians. They had to cleanse the temple before they could worship there again. Our lives have been polluted and defiled by the things of this world and we need to seek Christ and ask Him to cleanse the pollution out of our lives so that our lives may show the love of God and be a light to those who do not know Christ. Christmas reminds us that Christ has come to redeem the World. Once a believer recognizes Christ as their Savior, they begin their journey to becoming a disciple. Advent begins the Christian calendar and should begin the church’s teaching that should lead them on that journey. Follow me through the seasons as we cover the major teachings of the church.
Second Sunday of Advent-Dec 8
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Dec
Gold-symbolizing Jesus as the coming King-While hymns portray the Wise Men as Kings, they were more likely astrologers who were advisers to the Persian kings, sent by the kings as representatives bearing gifts. The songs say there were three but we don’t know how many. However the Wise Men brought gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Mirth in recognition of the roles that Christ would fulfill. The first gift they brought was Gold in recognition that He would be a King. Indeed, He would bring hope because He would subdue all the powers of the world and would become King of Kings and ruler over all creation. However, before He would wear a crown of Gold, He would wear a crown of thorns as He conquered death itself as the sacrificial lamb. While before, all we knew was the way of serving the flesh, Christ came to show us a better way through serving God. We can conquer the slavery to the flesh and live as God intended us as we allow Christ to be ruler of our life. A lot of people don’t know any other way than serving the flesh and won’t know there is a better way unless we step out into the world like Jesus did and show them.
Fourth Sunday of Advent-Dec 24
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Protect-(Ezekiel 34:15-16, 22-28, & II Kings 6:15-18) The good shepherd will watch over His flock and protect them. He will drive the wild beasts from among them so the sheep may dwell in peace and not be afraid. In the same way, God promised to drive the evil ones from among His people so they might live in peace. More important, His love will drive the hatred and bitterness from our hearts, which create divisions among us. While not all hatred and bitterness will be wiped out until Christ comes, it should not exist within the church if we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. There should be no strife and bitterness among brothers and sisters in Christ who are filled with the love of Christ. Christmas should be a time when the church gathers to celebrate Christ’s love for us. As the result, the world will see the love we have for one another and desire that love. Unfortunately, few churches today exhibit that love openly.