From Timothy E. Teates Reliance UMC
In the Gospel of Luke 2 is recorded the birth of Jesus. In this account the shepherds are out in the fields watching over their flocks by night. “And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened.” The angels announced to the shepherds that a Savior has been born whose name would be Christ the Lord. The angel told them where to find the baby and that he would be lying in a manger. A multitude of heavenly hosts appeared with the angel, praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace among men with whom he is pleased.”
What if the shepherds had been content to stay with their flocks and not travel to Bethlehem to the see the baby the heavenly hosts sang about? The shepherds would never have encountered the Christ child first hand. They would not have been able to go and tell of the wonder and splendor of Christ’s birth.
What if we woke up Christmas morning and all we thought about were the presents we received and thought that was Christmas?
There was once a little boy who had always wanted to go to the circus. One day he was walking down the street when he saw a poster in a store window. The poster said the circus was coming to town and that a ticket to the circus cost one dollar. The boy ran home and asked his father if he would give him a dollar to go to the circus on Saturday.
His father told him that if he would work hard and get all his chores done, he would give him a dollar to go to the circus. Saturday morning came and the boy did all his chores.
“I have all my chores done,” the boy told his dad.
The boy’s father gave him a dollar and the boy headed into town filled with excitement about seeing wild animals, trapeze artists, and all the things that come with a circus. Since he arrived in town early, he was on the front row when the circus parade started down the main street of town. The boy was thrilled when the animals and other circus acts paraded by.
At the end of the parade came the clowns and following the clowns was the ringmaster. When the ringmaster passed by where he was standing, the boy ran out into the street, took his folded dollar bill from his pocket, and handed it to the ringmaster.
“Thanks,” mister, said the boy, “that was a great circus.” Then he turned around and walked home. He never knew what he had missed. He thought he had been to the circus, but he had only been to the parade.
What if the shepherds had gotten caught up in the heavenly hosts praising God on the birth of Christ and stayed right in the field instead of going to see the Christ child?
What if we only saw Christmas as gifts and ribbon and bright lights? We would miss the real meaning of Christmas. The Apostle Paul reminds us in 2nd Corinthians 5:19 and 20 that “God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter the work of making things right with God; he’s already a friend with you". (The Message)
Because we have not missed the meaning of Christmas we can be the ones God uses to reconcile the world to Christ’s wonderful love.
May God bless you in the New Year.
Pastor Tim
From our family to yours, may the blessings of the Christ Child be yours in 2011!
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