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Footsteps to Follow: The keys to Christmas

“For God so loved the world that God gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17 NKJV). In these words of Jesus from the Gospel of John, Jesus reveals the keys to Christmas.

As we move forward in this season of love, hope, and peace, may we not become so caught up in all the trappings that we miss the real meaning and joy of this season.

The keys to Christmas are first the joy and peace of receiving and knowing that the greatest gift of Christmas is Jesus, the Christ, the Savior Of The World. Don’t forget to open your heart anew, or for the first time, to the Son Of God who was born to bring hope and salvation to all, including you.

Then, looking at and embracing the Christmas story (Luke 2:1-20 and Matthew 1:18-2:12), may we discover some of the other amazing keys to Christmas. Jesus’ birth calls us to unity. The birth of Jesus brought angels and shepherds and Magi to celebrate and praise the gift of love and unity offered to all in Christ.

Are we like the angels, singing praises for the Gift Of The Christ? Are we like the shepherds, humbly bowing before the Christ? Are we like the Magi, offering our praises through the gifts we bring to celebrate and honor Jesus’ birth?

The love of God in Christ blankets us all. God loves each one of us and all God’s creation. God hopes we, in the life of Jesus, will know that the Gift Of Gifts is for everyone. No one group, nation, culture, or place can nor should even try to control this Gift. Jesus came for all. Opening ourselves to this Gift, we see all people from all places, all languages, and all cultures as being children of God for whom Jesus came. The world has yet to fully embrace this profound key of Christmas.

That reminds us, then, of another key to Christmas: that we are to love one another as Jesus loves us (John 15:12-17). The way Jesus loved, and loves us, got Jesus into good trouble here on earth. People wanted, and still want, too much to hold onto hate and disdain for others. The coming of Jesus calls us to love sacrificially. We are to even go so far as to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:27).

The love of Christmas, the love of Christ, is the most powerful force there is in the universe. We have yet to tap the surface of this love. There is far too much hate and division, even among those of us who claim to follow the One Born In Bethlehem.

May we celebrate Christmas by receiving Christ and choosing to live out, no matter the cost, the pure love of Jesus. “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my peace that I give to you,” Jesus told us (John 14:27).

May the Gift Of Christmas fill us with love, joy, peace, and hope, and may we live that Gift Of Love every single day.

Pastor Bob Wallace, retired UMC clergy

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