I love Christmas!
But I have a question.
What does Christmas really mean?
(Deep in thought……)
Christmas is about Santa Claus
It’s about giving and spending time with family. It’s about food (lots of it) haha
It’s also about the birth of Christ! For Christians this is the main purpose of Christmas.
It’s that time of the year we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior.
But as I reflect on Christmas a few things come to mind:
The 2014 Isla Vista killings – where a man shot and killed six people and injured thirteen others before committing suicide! I can only imagine what the families are going through!
The disappearance of Malaysian Airlines earlier this year which resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives! Hundreds of families will spend Christmas alone!
The death and loss caused by ISIS. There are people still fleeing for their lives. There are people still losing loved ones. There are lots of people living in fear because of ISIS.
The kidnapping of 200 girls by the Boko Haram.
Women and girls who have been trafficked and haven’t been rescued!
The list goes on and on!
As I thought on this I thought to myself,
Surely Christmas is more than gifts, food, Santa Claus, and family? Those things are important but what does Christmas offer to the person who has lost everything?
Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11 NKJV)
We were lost doomed to die but Jesus came and changed that. He reversed our death sentence to one of life! When I think of Christmas, I think of the hope it brings! A hope that the world desperately needs. A hope WE desperately need!!
Christmas offers hope for everyone! No matter how bad things are, no matter how hopeless they seem, there is hope! Don’t be discouraged, don’t lose heart. You have been given a second chance!
Christmas is a beacon of hope to all that need hope!
Bad things have happened and are still happening but the birth of Jesus Christ is the answer to the pain and the terror that has happened.
When you think of the birth of Jesus Christ, His death and what He accomplished should come to mind! You cannot separate those two powerful, world changing events!
He came to give us life, peace, joy, a reason to live again, hope and a whole lot more!
If you are in pain, if you are alone, if your future looks hopeless know this:
There is hope for you……
You have a second, third, fourth chance!
God cares for you and looks after you.
Christmas represents HOPE for everyone!
Merry Christmas to you all.
Rolain
kingspeech 