3 Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas This Year
It's that time of year again, when many people the world over celebrate Christmas. Even many non-Christians celebrate Christmas, making this time of year an opportune time for witnessing and spreading the news about the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Granted, Bible scholars and historians generally agree that Jesus likely was not born on December 25th, and some Christians do not celebrate Christmas for fear of engaging in pagan practices. Nevertheless, for those who celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ no matter the date, and want to avoid the secularized aspects of the holiday, here are 3 ways to keep Christ in Christmas this year:
1. Read the story of Jesus' birth.
What better way to remind ourselves of what Christmas really means than to read how God's Word tells the remarkable story of Jesus' birth? Refer to Luke 2:1-20 and Matthew 1:18-2:23 for the story. I have provided the BibleGateway links here for your online convenience! :)
2. Attend/participate in a church Christmas play.
Bible-based Christmas plays are a fun and entertaining reminder of the story of Jesus' birth! If your church, or another local church or Christian group, is putting on a Christmas production, go see it. Or, if you've caught the performance bug, see if you can take part in the play, assuming that it's not a kids-only production. (Well, now it's probably too late to join a cast or crew for this holiday season, but hey--it's a good idea for next year!)
3. Remember the gift of Jesus Himself.
In Matthew 2:11 (link goes to the whole chapter), the Magi presented their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, to Jesus, the Messiah. Some suggest that this is the reason we give gifts to each other on Christmas.
In the spirit of gift-giving, here is a question to ponder: if you were alive at the time when Jesus was born, what gift would you have given Him? When I think about my own answer to that question, my mind goes to the musical gifts that God has given me, so my gift would likely be a song, whether sung or played on the flute. That would be something that I could present to Jesus as a gift on Christmas Day even now. Perhaps, thinking about your God-given gifts will lead you to your own answer as well, and could turn into something you can incorporate into your Christmas celebrations!
'Tis the season of gift-giving, so why not recognize the greatest gift of all: God giving us His only Son, to give His life for us and grant us eternal life through faith! This Christmas, let us take some time to appreciate what God has given us as we remember the story of Him sending His Son to the Earth for our sake.
What are some ways that you plan to keep Christ in Christmas this year? I hope that you keep Christ in Christmas not only this year, but every year to come. Have a Merry Christmas!
