It is hard to believe, but Christmas will soon be here. To make it worse, Christmas will come and go even faster.
As we prepare our hearts for this season, it is important for us to reflect on why Christmas was celebrated that very first night when Jesus was born and why that celebration has continued today. After the shepherds saw the baby Jesus that night, they went away worshiping God (Luke 2:20). Anna’s worship in the temple led her to tell others about Jesus (Luke 2:37). When the wise men found the child Jesus, they worshiped him (Matt 2:11).
kAmr9C:DE>2D D9@F=5 ?@H 36 46=63C2E65 3642FD6 y6DFD :D H@CD9:A65[ 6G6? 2D 2 323J 2?5 2D 2 D>2== 49:=5] (6 ?@H D66 H92E 9:D 3:CE9 >62?D 7@C 2== 4C62E:@?] %96C6 :D ?@H 9@A6 H96? 2== 9@A6 D66>65 =@DE] w@A6 92D 4@>6 E@ EFC? @FC H66A:?8 :?E@ H@CD9:A] xE :D 2>2K:?8 E@ E9:?< E92E v@5 244@>A=:D965 2== @7 E9:D E9C@F89 @?6 323J 3@C? @7 2 G:C8:?]k^Am
kAmy6DFD’ 3:CE9 A@:?ED E@ H92E v@5 H:== A@H6C7F==J 5@ E9C@F89 9:D =:76[ 562E9[ 3FC:2=[ 2?5 C6DFCC64E:@?] %96 EFC?:?8 324< E@ v@5 92D 368F? 2?5 6E6C?:EJ H:== 7@C6G6C 36 492?865 3642FD6 y6DFD :D v@5 H:E9 FD] p=E9@F89 H6 2== 92G6 >:DD65 v@5 E9C@F89 D:?[ v@5 92D 8:G6? E96 8C62E6DE 8:7E @7 6E6C?:EJi v@5 9:>D6=7P v@5 92D D6?E FD 9:D $@? E9C@F89 9:D w@=J $A:C:E]k^Am
kAm$@ H:E9 2== @7 E9:D[ 9@H 42? H6 >:DD r9C:DE>2Dnk^Am
kAm`] %96C6 2C6 D@ >2?J E9:?8D 8@:?8 @? E9:D E:>6 @7 J62C E92E H6 42? 62D:=J 7@4FD @? ;FDE 86EE:?8 E9C@F89 E96 D62D@?]k^Am
kAma] r9C:DE>2D 42? 2=D@ 36 D@ @G6CH96=>:?8 E92E H6 7:?5 @FCD6=G6D 7@4FD:?8 @? A=62D:?8 A6@A=6[ C2E96C E92? A=62D:?8 v@5]k^Am
kAmb] (6 42? 6G6? 7:?5 @FCD6=G6D :? 2 r9C:DE>2D D6CG:46 H@CD9:A:?8 6G6CJE9:?8 3FE y6DFD]k^Am
kAmr9C:DE>2D 42==D FD E@ H@CD9:A y6DFD 2?5 E@ E9:?< 23@FE H92E 9:D 3:CE9 >62?D 7@C 6G6CJ 52J @7 @FC =:G6D] %9:D 3:CE952J D9@F=5 36 F?:BF6=J 46=63C2E65 2?5 EC62DFC65 23@G6 2== @E96C 3:CE952JD] (96? H6 46=63C2E6 r9C:DE>2D[ y6DFD D9@F=5 36 =:7E65 23@G6 2== E96 46=63C2E:@?] tG6? E9@F89 E96C6 H:== 36 8C62E E6>AE2E:@? E@ 5@ D@[ =6E’D ?@E >:DD 9:> :? 2== E96 46=63C2E:@?Pk^Am
kAm%96 r9C:DE>2D D62D@? 42? =625 FD E@ H@CD9:A >2?J E9:?8D W6G6? >2?J 8@@5 E9:?8D[ =:<6 A6@A=6 2?5 AC6D6?EDX[ 3FE =6E’D C6>6>36C E92E v@5 2=@?6 :D H@CE9J @7 @FC H@CD9:A W{F<6 cigX] (@CD9:A:?8 y6DFD E9C@F89 E9:D D62D@? H:== :>A24E @FC 4@?G6CD2E:@?D[ @FC C6=2E:@?D9:AD[ 2?5 9@H @FC E:>6 :D DA6?E] |2J @FC H@CD9:A =625 @E96CD E@ H@CD9:A y6DFD 2D H6==]k^Am
kAmt2DE $652=:2 q2AE:DE r9FC49 H:== 36 92G:?8 2 r@>>F?:EJ r9C:DE>2D tG6 $6CG:46 2E dib_A>] (6 H@F=5 =@G6 E@ 46=63C2E6 r9C:DE>2D H:E9 J@F]k^Am
kAm |6CCJ r9C:DE>2DPk^Am
