Once again it has been a month since I have posted a blog. My daughter post to her blog at least daily. She seems to use it as a place to blow off steam. I tend to post when I feel like I have something worthwhile to say, or some thing important is up. Hmm, Why am I posting this now? I remember:


Well, that's the right idea but it falls somewhat short of my vision of the reason for the season. We have always included Santa in our Christmases, but we never made Santa the dominating personality. In our house, Santa bows down at the manger of Jesus. I recently watched a movie that was obviously based on Groundhog Day, except that the kid had to re-live Christmas day until he got the reason for Christmas right. Finally the 13 year old boy announces in the church Christmas program (he is the reader/ announcer) that the reason for Christmas is family and community, fellowship and joy. Good, but no cigar!

AHH, Here we go. Christmas began in a manger in a stable (if you want to break into the middle of the beginning). In so many places the nativity is removed from the public square. The City of Memphis' central library had a creche, but no Jesus, Mary, Joseph, or shepherds, or wise men! A stable, sheep, camels, and an empty manger. Apparently not only was the no room for the holy family in Bethlehem, but there is no room for them in the city of Memphis either! But the manger scene is really only the beginning. Christmas was completed 33 years later on the Jewish Day of Atonement, outside of Jerusalem. Remember, Jesus was a Jew, not a blond headed, blue eyed, Anglo-Saxon, or even European in His heritage, but a Jew!

Jesus said "Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour;" John 12:27. Do you get that? Jesus came not to be born in a manger in a stable. Jesus did not come to be baptized in the Jordan River by John (his cousin). Jesus did not come to feed the hungry, walk on water, or even raise the dead; even though He did all those things. Jesus came to die on the cross for your sins and my sins, to redeem us from the penalty of sin, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord;" Romans 6:23. Christmas set the events leading to our propitiation in motion. The proof of this was in the final event of Christmas.

Finally! The full message of Christmas. "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross;" Acts 5:30. But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART "-- that is the word of faith which we are preaching, [9] that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; [10] for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation;" Romans 10:8-10.

By-the-way, these pictures are supposed to be animated GIF's, but the animation does not seem to be working this time for reasons past knowing. If you like them, they are at www.animationfactory.com and some are free, others by subscription. Merry CHRISTmas!