Many of us will both give and receive gifts at Christmas.  We will thank people for their gifts, explaining what their gifts mean to us.  We might show off the gifts sitting under the tree to people who come to visit during the holiday season.  We will possibly describe to long-distance friends or family what we were given, especially the gifts we most value.

Gift-giving and receiving has long been a part of the Christmas tradition.  The very first Christmas gift, came in the form of a baby who was wrapped in swaddling clothes.  Try as we might to describe this gift, we will never fully be able to explain it.

This was a gift motivated by a love so wide, long, high, and deep that we will never fully understand, let alone describe, it. (Eph. 3:18)

This was a gift given once for all, a gift that keeps on giving and is for all who will receive it, difficult to understand and describe its all-sufficiency.  (Heb. 7:26-28; 10:10)

This was a gift given sacrificially for undeserving people, at a cost only One person could ever pay, something beyond our normal life experiences.  (Rom. 5:6-11)

This was a gift given without strings attached, a gift that can only be received through faith because it was given by grace, something our works-oriented brains have a difficult time wrapping around.  (Jn. 1:12-13; Eph. 2:8-9)

How do you respond to such an indescribable gift?  We can start with expressions of gratitude.
         Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Cor. 9:15)

Church Parties.   Work Parties.   Family Parties.
Many of us will do a lot of celebrating over the holiday season.  We’ll sing Christmas songs together, eat too much food, give presents, and be merry.  Even those without much money this year to buy expensive gifts and fancy foods can still have some semblance of celebration.  It’s Christmas, the day we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus!  Without Christmas there would be no Easter.  Without Easter (the death and resurrection of Jesus to pay the price for our salvation), we would have no reason for rejoicing.  (1 Cor. 15:14-19)

Enjoy time with family and friends but remember the greatest reason to party.  You see, it isn’t what you have or what you’ve done that brings the greatest joy … not even ministry accomplishments. 

Remember Jesus’ words to the disciples after a very successful ministry effort — “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven”  (Lk. 10:20).  Belonging to Him is the greatest reason to party.

In addition to your own salvation through Jesus, seeing others come to be found in Him is cause for great rejoicing. 

Jesus told parables of a lost sheep and a lost coin being found which He likened to the salvation of people, saying “there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Lk. 15:7, 10).  Angels in heaven understand the greatest reason to party.

The father in the parable of the lost son had a party when his son returned home.  His brother did not share the same sentiment.  The father defended his stance saying, “But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” (Lk. 15:32).

Christmas made it possible for our salvation and the salvation of the world.  

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. (1 Tim. 1:15)  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.  (1 Jn. 2:2)

Are you compelled by the greatest reason to party?

“Deck the Halls

  with boughs of holly.”

Many of us will deck the halls, trim the tree, and hang the stockings with care.  Most of us rarely think about the customs behind the various Christmas decorations.  We just feel more festive with lights, bells, candles, and evergreens.  There is something about decking the halls that draws us into the holiday.

I can’t help but think about our own lives as Christians.  When people look at us, do they see the light of Jesus?  Do our lives pull them in, giving them a sense of anticipation and hope … wanting to also experience the joy of the Lord? 

Titus 2:9-10, speaking to slaves of that day, says:

Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.  —- Or, as the King James Version says, “that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.”

You might not be a slave, but many of you have jobs.  Do you highlight or underscore the doctrine of God by the way you act and react in the workplace?  Does being a Christian look honorable on you?  Does your life pull people in to the Gospel or repel them?

Let’s remember what most needs to be adorned this Christmas.  Let’s “make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.”  That Savior came to earth 2000 years ago.  Is it obvious by the way you celebrate Christmas?  Is it obvious by the way you live the rest of the year?

Highlighting, underlining, to-do and to-buy lists, calendars, notes, catch phrases, and so much more.  We use many tools to help us remember what is important, to not forget to do what we must do or should know.  We can be forgetful.

The same is true spiritually.  God has taught us wonderful truths.  We know He is the answer.  We know our help and hope are found in Him.  Yet, without constant reminders, we can forget. This can be especially so during busy seasons of life, like the holidays.  We can get so caught up in what “we” must do during this time that we skip spending time alone with Him until we get through the busy patch. 

Our focus can be so scattered that we fail to turn to Him for direction and strength. But, we do need Jesus’ help at Christmas.  Holidays can affect our personal lives and they can also affect church life.

Maybe we should apply a similar approach of reminding ourselves as we do in other areas of life.

What are ways you can highlight or underscore the truths you need to remember during the busyness of the season?

Here are some ideas:  computer desktop backgrounds, pop up reminders on your computer, 3 by 5 cards strategically located, send yourself a phone message, etc.

Vary your approach as it is easy to soon not see what is constantly before us.  Highlight the truths most relevant for you.

What are some catch phrases you can use as reminders?

Keep in mind, however, that after some time, we can become immune to the significance of phrases we’ve heard repeatedly.  You’re undoubtedly familiar with catchy phrases like “Jesus is the Reason for the Season”  Let’s come up with something new each year.

What about using a to-do list or calendar?

If you are finding it hard to get into the Word or pray during the busy season, why not schedule it or put it on a list?  If those tools are used to remember to do what is important, then plan what truly is important!

Think reminders like this are too mundane for your spiritual life?  Check out the ways God encouraged the Israelites to use as reminders in Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

What have you done, or what will you do, to remind yourself to keep focused on the Lord during the holidays, to turn to Him as the source of help and hope, to remain steadfast in your walk with Him?