Christmas is Confusing...

Really, think about it. Inside the Church, we say that Christmas is all about the birth of Jesus Christ, but how many Christians honestly focus even remotely on Christ this season. How many churches? Nationally it's the second most significant time of growth and one of the easiest invites besides Easter. I know from experience that it's easy to get swept away in the grandeur of the season. Which is not surprising.

Historically, people get distracted from the "WHY" of their actions by the "What."

When life gets busy, we, as a people, tend to focus on getting tasks done and temporarily at least forget our reasons for why we are doing them in the first place. Church growth is good; kingdom growth is our calling and mission. But, growing just to grow and have more people or money is wrong. 

Growing to save souls is arguably the highest calling of the Church.

But we must grow for the right reasons and with the right goals. Look at Christ's parting words to his disciples and through them to us. 

Matthew 28:18-20

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

 While this might be the most used, it is not the only scripture reference to our purpose as God's Church. 

Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

2 Timothy 4:2-3 

Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

And these are just a few of so many. 

So, is focusing on growing during this season wrong? No, as long as we do so because of Jesus Christ and to further his kingdom. Is having fun with your family and buying them presents bad? No. So long as you do so in ways that teach them about the actual reason for this season.

Toys are not the problem with Christmas as we know it. Growth is not the problem with Church as we know it. Starting with the wrong or forgetting our "Why" completely is. We have to guard our motives and driving purpose. We have to better pass them along to our children and those in the culture around us. 

Think about this...

When we only share what others are doing wrong, we forget our focus is not on changing their life but on introducing them to a savior that will change their identity. 

We are not commanded to be worried about sin but a lack of salvation in those around us. It's God's job to deal with that sin once they are part of his family. further, When we focus only on gifts and forget about the ultimate gift we have been given, we loose sight of our driving motivation to share Jesus Christ with the rest of the world.

Remember, Christmas is about the birth of the creator of the world and the author of our salvation come to save us from our sins!

Matthew 1:18-25

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ...

Looking for more information on how to make this Christmas one worth celebrating? Join us on Sunday mornings for our "Christmas Memories" sermon series, where we search for the true meaning of Christmas at 10:30 am.