4 Practical ways to Remember the Reason for the Season
1. Celebrate Advent with your Family
I know this is not a common practice amongst Baptists and seems more like a Catholic or Anglican thing. Still, as someone who has recently started practicing preparing for Christmas weeks before the actual day, it has helped me build up anticipation for the holiday and kept my focus on Christ. I highly recommend starting an advent bible study either by yourself or, even better, with your family. I have always enjoyed the Youversion Bible on my iPad/iPhone, especially the Bible Project Advent study. For those of you who prefer hard copies of things, there are lots of good advent books on LifeWay’s website. One book that is good to supplement your advent readings with is Lee Strobel’s “Case for Christmas“. It is a great apologetical approach to Christmas that will shore up your faith in the historicity of Christmas.
2. Chill out on the Presents
I’ll admit, this one is pretty easy for me. I never grew up getting a ton of Christmas gifts. In fact, one of my most memorable Christmases was when my parents made us gift shoeboxes with the same things Operation Christmas Child boxes get in them; toothbrush, hair brush, toothpaste, etc. Besides the Christmas that my parents surprised my brothers and me with a couple of used four-wheelers that they bought from a neighbor, the shoebox Christmas is the one I remember the most. And parents here’s the thing, we as children survived! I know it’s crazy! Who would have thought? What I appreciated most about this, looking back, is the fact that we were able to see what other less fortunate kids get around the world. It also tamped down the pull of consumerism in us boys. And from a parenting perspective, it saved my parents a lot of money!
There is a lie that you need to dispel to dissipate the inherent pressure of cutting down on Christmas gifting. It is the one that says that not gifting your spouse or kids as many gifts is a sign of a lack of love for them. While there are certainly people who communicate love with gift-giving and receiving, you need to remember that the greatest act of love you can have for your spouse, children, and family is to point them to Christ. That is the whole point of reducing gifts in the first place. If you can’t help yourself but spend money on behalf of loved ones, an alternative idea is to use that gift money to donate on their behalf. My wife’s Nana does this every year for us! She sends OCC boxes out on our behalf.
3. Try to attend your local evangelical church’s Christmas Eve and Christmas Day service
If this is your member church, I highly recommend attending. If your church doesn’t do this, don’t be afraid to attend a sister church that is doing it. There is something special about gathering with faith siblings to celebrate the birth of our Savior! I can remember attending somewhere we sing Christmas Carols, hear a message about the Christmas story, and end with a candlelight singing of “O Holy Night” or some other classic Christmas hymn. It’s not truly a Christmas Eve service until flammable objects are lit on fire and handed to children!
This year is special in that Christmas falls on a Sunday. If it doesn’t sometimes most churches will do a Christmas service either the Sunday before or Sunday after. Whichever is the case, make plans to be there. If you abroad traveling, attend a local church there! Don’t miss it for the world! There’s no better place to be when celebrating the coming of Christ than with your brothers and sisters in Christ!
4. Read the Christmas Story in scripture at a significant time during the Christmas celebration
For our family, it is usually before we open presents. If you have a large family gathering with extended family, advocate for reading it before the meal. By putting it at a significant time during your family Christmas celebration, it communicates the value and importance you place on scripture and its depiction of the coming of Christ. The other thing this does is give you an opportunity to explain the significance of Christmas to unbelieving loved ones!
Now, the most common reading is out from Luke’s gospel, but you may change it up and read it from Matthew’s gospel some years. And supplementing it with a reading of John’s prologue (1:1-18) is always a good idea. To really spice things up, you may even include the Passion narrative of Christ’s crucifixion! I promise you can’t read too much scripture. The purpose is to point people to Christ as the reason for the season.
Bonuses
This is completely inconsequential to anything I’ve been saying above, but I just wanted to include a few Christmas pet peeves that are pretty harmless and funny. One, THE WISE MEN WERE NOT AT THE MANGER! So, yes, your nativity scene is biblically inaccurate.
Two, in the Christmas song “Away in a Manger,” in the second verse it says: “the cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus no crying He makes.” This was likely not the case. It’s possible, but not likely. It’s important to emphasize the humanity of Jesus. That’s what makes His coming so special. It was God in the flesh. And it’s the flesh part that makes it very likely that Jesus cried as a baby. He also needed cloth diaper changes. Mary had to bathe Him. He likely got sick as a kid. All of these things are human experiences that do not affect His sinlessness, so Jesus likely did them.
I know I’m splitting hairs and making mountains out of molehills but I had nowhere else to air my grievances so you guys get to hear it! I do hope that this pastor’s corner gave you some things to think about and start to put into practice as a family. I love you all and pray that you have a Merry Christmas! Remember the reason for the season!
In Christ,
Pastor Trenton
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