It's that time of year again when everything seems to go crazy. Last week on the news were pictures of people fighting for the best bargain, trampling over one another to get the latest TV.
In Northallerton yesterday we celebrated what our town is calling 'Santa Sunday'. Have we become so consumer orientated that we will celebrate Santa and completely forget about the one reason that we have Christmas in the first place.
Christmas has become about shopping until your arms drop off, eating so much food that we can't physically move, and worshipping a man dressed in a red suit while queuing for hours to meet him.
Just over 2000 years ago, a baby was born in a place fit for animals. He was born in a small town in the chaos of a census. He was visited by the humblest of shepherds and the grandest of wise men. And here we are all those years later celebrating the birth of this baby, without even a thought for him, but instead by wanting more for ourselves and consuming as much as we can in the shortest space of time.
When God sent his Son to this earth, it wasn't so that we could all have a party, it was so that we can know him. Jesus, as a man taught us about God and how to pray, he taught us to love one another and how we are meant to be. But instead we celebrate his birth so often without a thought for him.
If you want to celebrate Christmas the way that God intended then it's really easy to do. All you need to do is STOP. Stop and think, stop and wait, stop and allow God to speak to you through the Christmas message. The real meaning of Christmas is simple...God loved the world so much that He sent his Son to the world as a baby, to love the world, to guide the world and to ultimately die for the world. Receive him today, and know that there will be the greatest party you will ever know when you do. As it says in the Bible,
'I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent - Luke 15:7
While contemplating the Easter message this morning I felt that I should write my blog for the first time in ages, so here we go...
In John's account of the first Easter, we find the story of Mary Magdalene who goes to the tomb of Jesus and finds the tomb EMPTY! While crying because of the loss of Jesus' and worried about the whereabouts of Jesus' body, Christ speaks to Mary and calls her by name. He knows her and she knows him.
The reason for setting the scene is this...the UK has a holiday around Easter, the schools are closed, the shops are closed, everything comes to a grinding halt around Easter the same as it does at Christmas. My question is WHY?
I understand why Christians want to celebrate the greatest events in human history, but what about everyone else? I meet people on a daily basis that proclaim that God is not real, that Jesus was just a good man, that they don't believe in God, that they don't believe in any of the stories I speak of, even that they are good people and so don't need God, however they celebrate Jesus' birth and death EVERY YEAR!
Let's go back to Mary and Jesus. As I've already said, Jesus knew her by name and through this conversation she recognised him as her Saviour. Jesus knows everyone by name, BUT are we willing to recognise him? Are we willing to hear the sound of his voice? Are we willing to call him Lord?
The UK used to be a Christian country. Many of our laws are based around Biblical truths. Christian Religious Education and Collective worship are legal requirements in every school. Two of our main public holidays are because of Christian beliefs, in fact the ONLY time that the UK comes to a stop is for these two holidays! THINK ABOUT THIS! If you are not a Christian you are celebrating the person you don't believe in - how weird is that?
Well there is GREAT news for those who are reading this that don't believe! You can change that right now! Jesus is real! Jesus is Lord! Jesus did die for the whole of mankind and that means YOU! All you have to do is this...
1. Tell Jesus you believe in him!
2. Thank him for dying for you!
3. Ask him to forgive you for all the bad things and to help you to stop doing them!
4. Ask him to be Lord of your life!
5. Receive Jesus as your Saviour
Say this prayer...
Lord I believe that you died on the cross for my sin. I believe that God raised you from the dead. Please will you come and be Saviour and Lord of my life. Thank you Lord for saving me...AMEN
NOW GO! Find a church & worship your King! Your life is about to begin!
