4 Reasons we Celebrate Christmas!

It’s Christmas Morning! The gifts are ready to be opened. The turkey is in the oven. Despite all of the festivities, don’t forget the reason we celebrate this season.

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. In my freshman year of college, I made it a goal to sing I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas, every day until the following Christmas. I have to say, I made it 365 days, singing that Christmas Song, along with Let it Snow.

All of the presents are under the tree. And the Sisam family is excited to celebrate our daughter’s first Christmas. This will be a wonderful holiday.

As you sit down to carve the turkey or prime rib, remember these 4 things.

1. Christmas is about Jesus. If you have followed my blog for any amount of time, I don’t hide the fact that I’m a believer in Jesus. We wouldn’t be celebrating the giving of gifts, or taking pictures with Santa, if Jesus had not come to Bethlehem in Israel. This is his birthday. Let’s remember to give thanks for a God who loved us so much, he gave us his son.

2. Christmas is about Salvation. I beleive the very reason we even celebrate this day is because of a God who loved us. We were seperated from God when Adam and Eve fell from grace. That seperation from God has thrown the world into chaos.

Because of God’s great love, Jesus died for us. John [3:16]; For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son. That whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

If yo ahve not given your life to Christ, let this Christmas be the beginning of a relationship with the Creator of the universe.

3. Christmas is about family. Sitting around the Christmas tree, our family has a standing tradition. We read, each year, the Christmas story out of Luke 2. I honestly don’t remember a year the story hasn’t been read.

The first Christmas my wife and I were married, we began the same tradition. And this year, I’m going to introduce our daughter to the Christmas story.

As you celebrate with you family, set some new traditions your family can gather around. Read the story of Christ in Luke 2. Take time to pray for your family this year. Take time to show how much you love them. Because honestly it’s not about receiving gifts, it’s about sharing love.

4. Christmas is about giving. One of my favorite things is to give. I love watching people open the hard-thought gifts I got them. I love giving almost more than I do receiving.

I beleive this is one of the best charactaristics of the Christmas season. However, in the shopping, there is more bickering, than there is giving.

The Bible says, For it is far better to give than it is to receive. When you give this year, remember that it was God who first gave his son for us so that we may have life eternal.

A Special Note:

MERRY CHRISTMAS! I want to give you a very special Merry Christmas from my family to yours. I pray that as you celebrate you’ll find the joy that Christ has to offer. And may your home be filled with the love of God this Christmas year.

Time off:

I have made the decision that every year, I’m taking a vacation from Christmas through New Years. It’s a time where I can do nothing. We’ll be staying at home, doing nothing, enjoying family and planning for 2016.

You will find my next blog post on January 6 and the next CrossTALK Podcast on Jauary 8.

Have a very Merry Christmas, from my family to yours!

Blessings in Christ,