Reggie Weems’ Blog

The Christmas season certainly evokes a wide range of responses from people.  The wise men anxiously longed for the coming Messiah.  Herod did everything he could to destroy any thought of the baby’s birth.  Anna and Simeon nervously anticipated the Savior’s arrival.  Simeon must have been surprised that he could hold God’s redemption in his own hands.  The Pharisees attempted to ignore it altogether.  Today people argue over greeting one another with “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas.”  One child…so many responses…but in some way, everyone responds to Christmas.  No one avoids Christmas or evades God.       

But since Christmas is particularly a Christian holy day, how Christians respond to Christmas sets the tone for everyone else.  How do Christians respond to Christmas?  Both in scripture and in history people who hear about Jesus’ birth respond with music and lyrics, songs that attempt to express the truly inexpressible.  We can learn a lot from the songs we sing so think for a moment about the Christmas carols that fill our churches and thrill our hearts during this season.

 “O Come let us adore Him.” “Then let us all with one accord sing praises to our heavenly Lord.”  “Come rich and poor to own Him, the King of Kings salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone Him.” “O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray. Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today.” “O come with us, abide with us, our Lord Emanuel.” “O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for Thee.”  “Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay close by me forever and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, and take us to heaven to dwell with Thee there.”  “O come, O come, Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel.”  “Come Thou long expected Jesus.”  “Fall on your knees, O hear the angel’s voices.”  “Let every heart prepare him room.”   

These songs reveal how Christians respond to Christmas and they are proper responses to the birth of Christ.  Did you notice something that each of these songs had in common?  They’re all invitations.  Christmas is God’s invitation to know His Son Jesus Christ and its this knowledge that fills your life like the baby Jesus filled that manger in Bethlehem.  At Christmas the church invites people to join in adoration of Christ and people invite the Lord Jesus into their lives.  There’s no better reponse - the church joins shepherds and angels in proclaiming Jesus as the world’s Savior.  People respond by accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.  It is the most important invitation ever offered and the most important invitation to which you will ever respond.  And how you respond determines your eternal destiny.  So by all means, respond to God’s invitation by inviting Jesus to be your Lord and Savior.  You’ll never sing Christmas carols the same again.    

This entry was posted on Monday, December 24th, 2007 at 2:42 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.