Christmas Time is Here
“Christmas time is here.” Can you hear it in your head too? If you grew up watching the Charlie Brown Christmas special every year like I did, you probably know the song I’m talking about. I sing it every time we even come close to the Christmas season. And by close, I mean the first day that it feels remotely like the fall season here in Southern California. If you’re asking yourself, "Does Jeremy decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving?” I’m happy to tell you that yes, I do indeed decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving. There is a reason for it, and I will explain it soon, I promise!
Christmas Time is for Celebrating
The reading plan this month is the Christmas story and its significance. Week one is the Promise of a Savior. Week two is the Birth of Jesus. Week three is the Witnesses of His Coming. And the last is the Purpose of His Coming. All four of these themes all point to one miraculous truth: God came to rescue His people! And he did so with great humility. God took on his own creation (John 1:1-18) and then paid the price for us, putting our own interest before his own (Philippians 2:1-11). It started long before the coming of Christ, which we can see all over the Old Testament. However, the promise became very real to some people in the first century. Jesus had come. For the people in the first century that had lived alongside him and followed him, this was a great reason to celebrate. Now, 2,000 years later, we celebrate the exact same thing. The Lord came down to earth to save us. However, we already know how the story unfolds. We are not like the disciples who followed Jesus, wondering what He was going to do next, or trying to decipher his next parable. We know he lived, died on the cross, resurrected three days later, and is now at the right hand of the Father, waiting to return to earth again. I believe this makes the Christmas season even sweeter. It is not just that Jesus came, but also what He accomplished while He was here.
Missing the Point
I loved Christmas time even before I was a Christian. I loved the music, the decorations, and most of all, the presents. I loved getting gifts on Christmas mornings. The gifts were always so much fun. As I got older, I even loved giving presents too. However, I was missing the “reason for the season.” I missed that Christmas was more than just trees, lights, presents, and fun. It was about God incarnate coming to earth to accomplish a very specific purpose: save mankind. The coming of Jesus truly was something special. And now we can celebrate not just His coming, but what His coming meant in the bigger picture of the gospel. It was another step in God’s plan heading to the cross and the empty tomb. That, to me, is a huge point that I can miss if I get too wrapped up in all the other “good” stuff that the Christmas season brings along with it. However, if I can focus on the main point, it makes the entire season much more enjoyable, joy filled, and peaceful. Which leads me back to why I decorate as soon as I can when this season comes around.
Remembering the Point
The reason I decorate before Thanksgiving comes is more than just because I love the decorations (which I do love). I do it because it helps me to remember the gospel. It helps me to remember that Jesus came, died in my place, rose again, and that I will be with him in eternity one day. I am so prone to forget that. We all need to be reminded of that truth daily, and during this season, the decorations help me do that. So, I will continue to decorate early every year if it helps me remember Jesus and what He has done for me. Whatever helps you remember Jesus during this season, I encourage you to do so. It may not be decorations for you, but I pray the Lord leads you to find something to remember amazing and significant His first coming truly was. As we await his return, let’s also look back and be grateful that He came in the first place! Brothers and sisters, He is coming back soon. But don’t take my word for it, He said it Himself: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’” (Revelation 21:20a) And may our response be the same as John’s: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” I pray that the Lord blesses you, your family, and your Christmas season this year!