Text: Luke 2: 8-20
What is the right way to celebrate Christmas?
The right way is to follow people who celebrated the first Christmas.
1. The first people who received the news of Jesus birth were the shepherds (Read verse 8).
- The shepherds HEARD the angels proclamation. They did not just listen out they took the trouble to GO and check it out for themselves. They left their flock of sheep, they believed the message the angels brought. They travelled how far, that we do not know. They found the baby Jesus in the manger wrapped in swaddling cloths as told. they had a PERSONAL ENCOUNTER with JESUS.
- To many people, Christmas is just a story, a fiction, a Sunday school story. They have never had a personal encounter with Jesus. Many so called 'Christians' are like that, believe Christmas has a nice story, never found nor experience a personal encounter with Jesus. And when trouble come to their lives, there is very little or no faith to stand on, nothing to cling on to, so they fade away, turn away, 'celebrate' once a year.
2. The second right way to celebrate Christmas is to PROCLAIM THE EXPERIENCE (Read Like 2:17-18).
- They proclaimed what they had heard and what they have seen with their own eyes. Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to witness, testify and share your experience. The best season to share the reason (Jesus) of your faith.
3. The third way to celebrate Christmas is found in Like 2:18.
- They spread the word and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them - v.19. This is a good way to celebrate Christmas, to ponder in our heart, the things concerning Christmas. Especially with the things we do not understand and find it hard to believe. The word ponder is more than just merely thinking, it is to think deeply and consider or examined throughly or to meditate deeply.
- It is in pondering over the many difficult doctrines of our faith that we grow strong and mature. It is unfortunate many Christians do not ponder deeply.
4. The fourth way of celebration: Luke 2:20.
- Glorifying and praising God in simple term means worshipping God in words and in songs. The word 'glorify' comes from the Greek word 'dova'. It means to express an opinion. When we glorify God, we express a right opinion of Him and this means to express His WORTH-SHIP, which is to worship Him with words. Praising God is similar.
Conclusion:
There are many good ways of celebrating Christmas. Examples: have a family reunion and a dinner together, exchanging gifts with one another. Do some good deeds for the less unfortunate. All these acts are admirable. But all our celebration must originate from a right relationship with Jesus.
The reason for me this season:
a) A personal faith encounter
b) A proclamation of the Good News of Christ
c) A pondering of what Christmas truly mean
d) A praising and glorifying God's indescribable gifts
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