Christmas Time! Christmas Time!

Enough said in the title. J  When our family first came to Capital City Christian Church, nine years ago, I had many questions.  Some of those questions were centered on Christmas and why we celebrate this special birth.  All births are special right?  Of course they are! We are about to celebrate the birthday of our oldest child, Ethan and my Grandma’s birthday was on Christmas Eve, both are very special  but what is different about  the birth of Jesus? 

Growing up there wasn’t too much emphasis on the spiritual reasons to celebrate Christmas; it was more about food, gifts, Santa Claus and maybe family.  As we began to learn more about Christ, it was amazing to realize what the birth of Jesus really means. It means your life in Christ begins with Jesus’s birth! It means…Freedom!!!  Freedom in Christ!!  This is a concept that is often misunderstood but Christ himself says, “I have come, that they may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10).   Freedom is based on choices as Paul teaches in Galatians.  Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”  Later on in verse six, the Word states, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”  So the birth of Jesus was and still is a deep, deep, expression of love which helps us to see our freedom in Christ because He chose to come to earth for us, because He chose to be born as ‘the least of these’, because He chose to experience life as we do and because later on He chose death on the cross.  Jesus chose love, service, and sacrifice all throughout His life beginning with His birth. Freedom in Christ means that we can choose to receive that love, service, and sacrifice as a gift to bless us and share that free gift with others.

One thing that was very special in opening my eyes to the story behind Jesus’s birth is Journey to Bethlehem.  This is a major production that takes many willing bodies to give of their time, talents, service, and sacrifice, and much more.  It is the church body coming together to bless the community with the truth of Jesus’s birth and why we celebrate Christmas.  It is something that our family has come to cherish being a part of and want to thank all of you who volunteer in any way, and if you haven’t yet, please consider doing so…you will be mighty surprised at the blessing you receive as well!

I hope that his Christmas season will bless you and your families with a gift of freedom that you will cherish and carry with you into the New Year. 

Deuteronomy 30:19 & 20, “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose LIFE, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.”

                                                                                                SMP*