The Meaning of Christmas

I thought I would take the time to share this with you. I was recently asked to write an article for the Tri-County news: Although I am unsure if it will acutally be printed I thought I would take the time to share it with you all. With that said I pray that each of you has a wonderful CHRISTmas:

This year my family and I had the opportunity to go to New York during the first week of December. What a glorious time to be a part of the New York Christmas celebration. With people, and I do mean lots of people, bustling about seeing the lights and the decorations we had the opportunity in the midst of something incredible to observe the lighting of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. Although this was spectacular to say the least, with the excitement in the air and famous entertainers present to usher in the season, the true joy and excitement came at Radio City Hall at a show called the “Christmas Spectacular”. The climax of the show was the depiction of the Christmas story in a Spectacular blossom of lights, costumes, and Color. When the show was over it was as if I had lived the Christmas story right out of the book of Luke in the Bible. How do you express in words such and incredible experience other than WOW!

On our return home, to Junction City on the plane it gave me a bit of time to take in and reflect on the experience of the trip. The conclusion I came up with is that in our midst something great has happened, something so great that it has caused the whole world to erupt into a frenzy of celebration. What is even more amazing is that this annual eruption of celebration finds its way into all our lives every year and has done so for literally thousands of years. This celebration of course we know as Christmas. A time when gifts are exchanged, trees are decorated, parties take place, special plays and church services rise to the platforms and pulpits all across the world. But the question I ask is why so much excitement? What is it that has changed a world? What is it that causes us to become excited as little children once again? Can I go as far as to say it is found in one word, Jesus!

Yes, it is the birth of a baby, but not just any baby, but the savior of the world, Jesus. Who is this Jesus? The Bible calls him a wonderful counselor, mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of peace. This Jesus was to be God in the flesh to restore the bonds of love between God and his greatest creation, you and me. We celebrate Christmas because the savior of the world has come, the one who would restore our relationship with God that had been broken clear back in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve first sinned. This relationship was restored when Jesus took my sin and yours to a cross on Calvary, died and rose again, thus conquering death the ultimate penalty of sin. So ultimately the Bible tells us if we want to be restored unto God we have to pray to Jesus to forgive us of our sins and build a relationship with Him where Jesus will teach us how to live a life free from the bonds of sin.

So when asked what does Christmas mean to me, it means freedom from the bondages of sin-Freedom!!! When in New York a few weeks ago I went to the eighth floor of Macy’s to Santa Land. After going through the North Pole I approached Santa and He asked me what I wanted for Christmas. This was an easy question for me, I wanted my family together for Christmas to share in the freedom of life we have together in our savior, Jesus. Although said many times and many ways Jesus is still the Reason for the Season.