Church Family,
Isn’t it great having something to look forward to? As a kid, it was always exciting when your birthday started getting closer. You loved growing older and having a party with friends. Now that I am creeping ever closer to forty, I don’t quite look forward to birthdays in the same way! However, now that I am a little more “seasoned,” one thing that I always look forward to are family getaways. Isn’t it fun to anticipate getting out of the normal grind and doing something exciting?
Or maybe, you look forward to a weekly lunch with a friend. Or that phone call when you get to catch up with someone you love. Maybe you look forward to a certain holiday because you know that family will be coming into town, and you get to celebrate together. Whatever it is that you look forward to, the anticipation can be a lot of fun. But more than the anticipation, it is the payoff when the occasion actually takes place.
Now, imagine the anticipation for Simeon in Luke 2. He had been promised by God that he would see the Messiah before he died. We don’t know how long he had been waiting, but imagine what must have been going through his mind when Jesus was brought into the temple by Mary and Joseph. Simeon was elated and took the Christ child in his arms and declared that his eyes had seen salvation!
As Christmas is approaching, what would happen if we had that same type of joy that Simeon had when he saw Jesus for the first time? Let’s remember that the gift of Jesus is the gift of salvation for all who believe!
Let’s make sure that we are intentional about sharing that truth with others this Christmas. We can do that through our actions, like by supporting the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and Angel Tree. We can also do it through our words, by sharing the truth of the Gospel with our friends and family. Who do we need to tell the story of Christmas to this year?
We can also share the story of Christmas by inviting others to our Christmas performance this year, NOEL: Night of Everlasting Love. On December 18 and 19, we are going to have a special performance reminding people of the incredible gift that God gave us at Christmas. Be praying now about who you can invite to come and watch the performance with you. Or you can invite someone to our Christmas Eve service to hear the Gospel as well.
The wait is over. Jesus has come. Let’s be sure to share that truth as Christmas draws near! Join me in praying that our church makes an eternal impact as we share about the gift of Jesus this Christmas season.
In Him,
Pastor Zach