The Christmas Light

We all have something that we enjoy the most about the Christmas season. Spending much needed time with family and friends. Giving and receiving gifts. Playing in the snow (if you get some). I personally love decorations. Not so much the putting up or the taking down part. But I love to see homes, trees, and small town parks lite up. The creativity people put into making their homes help guide aircraft (or Santa...lol) just stirs within me the anticipation of Christmas. I love seeing trees take on whole different personas with ornaments and lights that twinkle with holiday music.

Of course none of this really matters. All these things fade. The snow melts, we go our separate ways, the lights come down and get stored until next Christmas. But there is a light that does matter. It never dims. It is eternal. That light is Christ.

John 1:4-5, 9
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

John 8:12
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 12:46
I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

Christmas is Jesus expressed. It's about love, service, praise, reflection and worship.

If this is true than Christmas is an action rather than a holiday.

When the weak are sustained,
When the burdened are uplifted,
When the weary are restored,
When the sick are healed,
When the suffering are solaced,
When a believer proclaims Christ boldly,
When a soul is redeemed THAT'S CHRISTMAS.

Christmas is a time to remember Emmanuel; GOD WITH US.

God in the valley,
God on the mountain top,
God on the homeless street,
God in the midst of the chains of addiction,
God when I'm mourning death,
God when I'm losing my mind,
God when my health is failing,
God when my bills are greater than my income,
God is the midst of war,
God who brings peace, joy, good-will and salvation to every man, woman and child.

So instead of celebrating the holiday put Christmas in action.

When you see a light twinkle on the tree or in your front yard let that be a reminder that Jesus has called us to action and that He is with us to bring light into the darkness. More than just on December 25th but from January 1st to December 31st. The true Spirit of Christmas is something that is year round.

The Great Commission

Mark 16:15 puts the Great Commission this way: He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."

He is no Christian who does not seek to serve his God. The very motto of the Christian should be "I serve." - Charles Spurgeon

Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that. - Charles Spurgeon

If you do not make it a matter of study, how you may successfully act in building up the kingdom of Christ, you are acting a very wicked and absurd part as a Christian. - Charles Finney

Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field." - Matthew 9:37-38

Oh, my friends, we are loaded down with countless church activities, while the real work of the church, that of evangelizing the world and winning the lost, is almost entirely neglected! - Oswald J. Smith

Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord," and do not do what I say? - Luke 6:46

My friend, I stand in judgment now,
And feel that you're to blame somehow.
On earth I walked with you by day,
And never did you show the way.

You knew the Savior, in truth and glory,
But never did you tell the story.
My knowledge then was very dim,
You could have led me safe to Him.

Though we lived together, here on earth,
You never told me of the second birth.
And now I stand before eternal hell,
Because of heaven's glory you did not tell!
- Anonymous

Truly if we want to be like Christ we must accept the very mission He had: to seek and save the lost. - Luke 19:10.

Where do we put our effort in this kingdom business? Is our time spent inside the church? Is our time spent on planning "insider" events? Is it spent worshipping? These aren't bad things. But our time must be spent on what Christ would. Jesus spent time doing things with His followers but that never distracted Him enough to take His eyes off of His mission.

Love finds a way. Indifference finds an excuse.