Why Celebrate Christmas?

In his book, The Purpose of Christmas, Rick Warren states, “Regardless of your background, religion, problems or circumstances, Christmas really is the best news you could get. Beneath all the visible sights and sounds of Christmas are some simple yet profound truths that can transform your life for the better here on earth and for forever in eternity.” Pastor Rick is exactly right!

Here are three simple reasons why we should celebrate Christmas and why it can have a profound impact on our lives:

1. Christmas is a time of celebration!

“I bring you good news of great joy for all people.” Luke 2:10

We should celebrate the fact that we have been given good news of great joy….for ALL people.

Christmas should be a season of joy with a party atmosphere. Specifically, a joyful birthday party for Jesus.

Every Christmas at my church, Saint James Church in Montgomery, our Children’s Ministry throws a massive Happy Birthday Jesus Party. This year it will be held on Sunday, December 11 at 11:00am. You are invited to join us for this fun for the whole family event. We re-tell the Christmas story from the Gospels, we do family crafts for Christmas, we enjoy great pizza, there are also a lot of candies and goodies, we have a huge birthday cake for Jesus, we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and other Christmas songs, and then, to top it all off, we have snow machines to make it feel like that white Christmas we all dream of having in the South one day! I wish you could see the joy on the faces of the children and the adults at the Happy Birthday Jesus Party. Everyone becomes like a little kid again…. Especially when the snow starts coming down and everyone is dancing and playing in the snow together.

Christmas is a time to celebrate with great joy that we have been given the most expensive gift we will ever receive. It is priceless! God gave us himself wrapped in the person of Jesus. That is what we read in the Gospel Christmas story …. “And his name shall be called Immanuel, which means God with us.” -Matthew 1:23

At Christmas, we celebrate that fact that God is with us…and that he is for us!

1. Christmas is a time for salvation!

“Today …. there has been born to you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” - Luke 2:11

Yes, we celebrate that a Savior was sent to rescue us from our sins and from ourselves. Jesus saves us from our sins. He saves us from our past mistakes and rescues us from our guilt and shame. Jesus the Savior was born to offer himself as a sacrifice for the the sins of the world. “She will give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” - Matthew 1:21

And he saves us for a purpose. He doesn’t just save us from something, he saves us for something. He has a plan for your life. He saves us to set us a part of his purpose and plan. “I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans for good not for evil plans to give you a hope and a future.” - Jeremiah 29:11

Celebrate Christmas because God is not only with us, but he is for us and has an amazing purpose and plan for our lives. You can have hope for the future because God has saved you for a purpose beyond just yourself. He wants you to serve him with your life and to serve others as you share the good news with them as well. This gift of salvation is an eternal gift and ensures our eternity with Christ in heaven.

1. Christmas is a time for reconciliation! “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to people of good will. “ - Luke 2:14

Jesus came to reconcile us with God the Father. And he came to fill our hearts with his peace once we have been reconciled. When we reconcile with God, we make peace with God. Our relationship with God is made right through what we call “justifying grace”. When we accept that Jesus the Savior died on the cross for our sins and then we ask for forgiveness of our sins, God forgives us in that instant, and we are reconciled with God. (1John 1:9) We are justified which means we are made right with God. So, through the coming of the Savior at Christmas, we are reconciled to God.

This is not only an eternal gift, but it is a gift that is very practical and can be used everyday as we walk each step in peace with God. We no longer have to fret and worry about our relationship with the Lord, because we can walk in the faith that we are made right with him.

Christmas is also the perfect time to seek to offer grace and reconciliation to others with whom you may have experienced pain, difficulty or separation. Remember, what Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:32, “forgive one another as Christ has forgiven you.” Christmas is the season for reconciliation, forgiveness and grace!

I hope you will chose to celebrate Christmas this year! You now have three very good reasons!

And I invite you to celebrate Christmas with us this year at Saint James Church. Check out our Christmas schedule at http://www.sjlife.com or visit us at 9045 Vaughn Road.

Merry Christmas!