Why We'll Always Celebrate Christmas!
The Mind of Christmas
Sunday, November 30, 2003
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, Thank you for this new day of life to live, to learn, to worship and serve You! I pray that as I gather for worship today, with brothers and sisters through Your Son, Jesus, my Savior and Lord, that we will glorify You as we worship in the power and presence of Your Holy Spirit. As we enter a new Christmas season, I pray that You will keep my mind, heart and spirit focused on the true reason we celebrate this joyous season: the coming of Jesus to live among us, and ultimately to die and rise again for our salvation. These things I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Bible Verses
John 1:1-14
1In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn’t make. 4Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. 5The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. 6God sent John the Baptist 7to tell everyone about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8John himself was not the light; he was only a witness to the light. 9The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was going to come into the world. 10But although the world was made through him, the world didn’t recognize him when he came. 11Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted. 12But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God. 14So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. (grace and truth) And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.
Reflecting on Scripture
As we enter the Christmas seasons, what will you do this year that will keep you focused on Jesus as the true reason for the season?
What is the best Christmas memory you have? Why is it so special to you?
Exploring the Scripture
What does today’s Scripture teach us about Jesus’ relationship to God? (1:1-5)
What was John the Baptist’s role in Jesus’ coming into the world? (1:6-9)
What was the world’s response to Jesus’ coming? (1:10-14)
Understanding the Scripture
When today’s Scripture tells us that the “Word,” who is Jesus, already existed at the beginning of time, why do you suppose that some religious groups suggest that Jesus is NOT truly God?
What does it mean for us that Jesus is “full of unfailing love and faithfulness,” or “full of grace and truth?”
Applying the Scripture
What is one specific action you will take today to recognize Jesus for who He is: God’s Son and the Savior of the world?
Being Transformed by the Renewing of Our Minds
One of the saddest truths of all history is that when Jesus came into the world, the people didn’t recognize Him for who He was. John tells us that even in His own land and among His own people He wasn’t accepted. Jesus didn’t come with glitz and glitter. Jesus didn’t come with bows and ribbons. Jesus came quietly, incognito. No one except a few shepherds and an army of angels knew that the Redeemer of the universe had been born in Bethlehem on that night so long ago. Throughout Jesus’ life, people failed to recognize Him, failed to acknowledge Him as King of kings and Lord of lords. To be sure moments came when flashes of recognition spread among the people, as with the time when he fed the 5,000 with a five loaves of bread and two small fish, or the time when He healed the demon-possessed man in the synagogue and the people wondered at His great authority. But by-in-large Jesus didn’t make much of a “splash.” So why would we celebrate His birth in the midst of a season that has become so commercialized? Why even drag Jesus into all the hassle of the season? One simple reason: Jesus IS the reason for the season. It doesn’t matter that we don’t really know the actual day or even the year of His birth for sure. It doesn’t matter if the first Christmas celebrations were just an attempt to compete with some Roman, pagan holiday, and claim it for Jesus, or whether it keeps us focused on Jesus in the midst of the biggest sales push of the year by retailers all over the USA. The fact is: Jesus is worth it! His coming to the world changes EVERYTHING, so we celebrate!
To view other studies from the Why We Celebrate Christmas series, click here.