PASTOR’S CORNER: ‘Joy to the world’

The gift of Jesus is good news for the whole earth, a reason for people from every country and ethnicity to rejoice. The gift of Jesus is good news for everyone. No matter where on earth you call home, Jesus’ birth is God’s offer of love and peace to you, and it is not limited to a certain race of people. No one except the Jewish people has a monopoly on the reason for Christmas and the savior that was born.

Think about it, Jesus is God’s gift to the entire world. In John 3:16, it reads “For God so loved the WORLD”…that includes everybody IN the WORLD.

But isn’t it strange community, isn’t it a shame that God did not discriminate, is not prejudiced, and loves everybody, but we on earth are not this way? Even within the realm of Christianity, we don’t always take on the personality of our heavenly Father and our blessed savior, and we should. He doesn’t see Black or white. He doesn’t see denomination. He doesn’t see Democrat or Republican, and he doesn’t endorse either which is why all the world should celebrate his birth. Aren’t we glad that this baby was born without prejudice at all? Because if he was, then you and I might not be included in salvation’s plan.

He was in the presence of sinners, publicans and prostitutes. He healed non-Jews like Samaritans and Gentiles, the poor and the lame and the blind and the deaf. When he fed over 5,000, he didn’t care about who was in the congregation. He just saw a need, and he met that need. Wouldn’t it be great if we who are made in his image would imitate him? Wouldn’t it be great if we were all colorblind? We celebrate him this Christmas holiday, as every Christian should. This is our holiday.

Listen when I say Muslims celebrate the Quran. Buddhism believe in many gods or no god at all, but Christmas is the Christian holiday. John the disciple, in John chapter 3 talks about Nicodemus (who came to Jesus by night), and the all-important subject of being born again. If he wanted to see the kingdom of God; and that hasn’t changed; if any man wants to see the kingdom, he must be born again (John 3:3). He goes on to talk about the fact that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the savior be lifted up. That whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

It is then that he tells us in John 3:16,“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” And WHOSOEVER includes every race, ethnic group; Jew or Gentile and Protestant. God loved the world so much, that he gave the world his ONLY son. The whole world has been bitten by sin, and “the wages of sin is death,” (Romans 6:23). God sent His Son to die, not only for Israel, but for a whole world. That includes you and me! If you are breathing this morning you are included. It doesn’t matter what side of town you were born in, what your last name is, educated or uneducated, rich or poor, you are included. That’s why he came on that first Christmas morning.

This Christmas season causes us to see just how much he loved us. This morning, Christmas morning, we will give presents to each other as expressions of our love to one another; beautiful, decorated boxes with ribbons on them; but not one of us will give our only child to die for somebody, especially an enemy!

But I have to ask a question this morning, where is Jesus in the holiday? I do not see him in this holiday season! Does anybody see him anywhere? I see Santa Claus. I see reindeer. I see candy canes and stockings hanging over the fireplace. I see eggnog and the mistletoe. I see “chestnut roasting on an open fire and Jack Frost nipping at your nose.” I see snowmen and little elves. I see romantic movies and Christmas trees. I see Christmas decorations, and Christmas commercials, but where is Jesus? Where is “Joy to the world?” I don’t see him in department stores or in the restaurants. I don’t see him in television commercials or in television movies; and sad to say, I don’t see him in some churches!

If he is the reason for the season, where is the savior? If it is the celebration of his birth, then the celebration should be about him! Friends, for every watch there is a watchmaker! Christmas is Christ and Christ is Christmas! Community, the “Nutcracker” is good; “Silver Bells, it’s Christmas time in the city” is alright, but that’s not Christmas. In a little town of Bethlehem, a young virgin gave birth to a baby boy.

See it’s a Merry Christmas because “Mary had a little lamb” and his heart was white as snow and everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go! He left his throne in glory, in flesh came down to earth; oh celebrate the moment, when Mary gave him birth. He came into the world, to save sinners like you and me; to give peace into the heart of man, and set the captive free. Joy to the world is the message we should sing. Spread the message everywhere, the birthday of our king; oh we should love Christmas, that precious Christmas morn, for it was a blessed day of days, that day when Christ was born!”