Yesterday, in our morning services, I spoke on the “Star of Bethlehem” from Matthew chapter 2. The wise men from the east were joyful when they saw the star; but they actually worshipped the baby Jesus. Wow! The latter supercedes the fomer! Christmas must be about more than just having a good feeling.
Our morning services were then followed by our annual Christmas luncheon for Widows and Widowers, sponsored by our Deacon’s ministry.
As a part of my luncheon devotional, I referenced my wife’s love for classic Christmas programming. Being Baby-Boomers, she and I both grew up watching such standards as "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer", "Frosty the Snowman", and of course, "A Charlie Brown Christmas".
One syndicated cartoon that was not produced in the form of a holiday television classic, however, was Bill Keane’s comic strip, "Family Circus".
That is regrettable, as so many times, he was able to communicate the most fundamental of truths in the simplest of ways. He did this by either showing what the various members of his cast of characters were thinking, or else having them speak.
A perfect example is the little clipping contained in my files – one that encapsulates everything I was trying to communicate about Matthew chapter 2 yesterday morning.
In this particular cartoon, as the children are setting up their nativity set, little Dolly suddenly holds up the baby Jesus, and declares, “Here’s the star of Bethlehem!” And there you have it. Without Christ, there is no Christmas. There is no one to worship. And thus, there is no real joy.
Make certain to include Christ in your Christmas this year. Remember, He really is the reason for the season. Without Him, your Christmas will be incomplete.
Our morning services were then followed by our annual Christmas luncheon for Widows and Widowers, sponsored by our Deacon’s ministry.
As a part of my luncheon devotional, I referenced my wife’s love for classic Christmas programming. Being Baby-Boomers, she and I both grew up watching such standards as "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer", "Frosty the Snowman", and of course, "A Charlie Brown Christmas".
One syndicated cartoon that was not produced in the form of a holiday television classic, however, was Bill Keane’s comic strip, "Family Circus".
That is regrettable, as so many times, he was able to communicate the most fundamental of truths in the simplest of ways. He did this by either showing what the various members of his cast of characters were thinking, or else having them speak.
A perfect example is the little clipping contained in my files – one that encapsulates everything I was trying to communicate about Matthew chapter 2 yesterday morning.
In this particular cartoon, as the children are setting up their nativity set, little Dolly suddenly holds up the baby Jesus, and declares, “Here’s the star of Bethlehem!” And there you have it. Without Christ, there is no Christmas. There is no one to worship. And thus, there is no real joy.
Make certain to include Christ in your Christmas this year. Remember, He really is the reason for the season. Without Him, your Christmas will be incomplete.