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Jeannie Cunnion: Why we shouldn't keep Christ in Christmas


Drosselmeyer

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this editorial caught my eye - and while I understand what the pastor was trying to convey, not quite sure I agree with the way it was said . . . 

Jeannie Cunnion: Why we shouldn't keep Christ in Christmas

By Jeannie Cunnion | Fox News     12/25/2019

He was born in a manger in Bethlehem to fulfill God’s perfect and pure law on our behalf so that we might walk in freedom from trying to do enough and be enough to secure God’s love and welcome.  

My son, along with his 3-year-old classmates, lined up at the back of the church, nervously awaiting their procession down the center aisle to take their place on the stage. It was the annual Christmas concert at his Christian preschool, and after weeks of practice, it was finally time to perform “Feliz Navidad” and ”Jingle Bells” for the proud parents.

But first, the head pastor of the church that hosts the preschool took the stage to welcome the families and offer a few thoughts on why we celebrate Christmas. “Welcome! It’s wonderful to be together today to celebrate the birth of Christ. But before the children perform, I’d like to offer a brief word of encouragement, which is this: Parents, please don’t keep Christ in Christmas.”

I’ll admit the preacher didn’t have my complete attention until that moment. I had a full day ahead of me, and my mind was on how I was going to get my older kids to all the places they needed to go and still navigate all the things I needed to do.

While the pastor continued on about the bumper stickers we often see on cars at this time of year that say “Keep Christ in Christmas” I turned to my husband and asked, “Did the pastor really just say “Don’t keep Christ in Christmas?”  Before he could respond, the pastor answered the question for me.

I can’t remember his precise words but his message clarified my confusion.

“When parents pack up the Christmas decorations, they tend to put away Christ as well,” he said. “We tend to keep Christ in Christmas day alone. The invitation is to take Christ beyond your Christmas celebration and into your everyday lives.”

As the pastor concluded his message, I nodded my head in agreement and whispered a prayer of gratitude for a God who wants to go with me and chooses to dwell in me by His Spirit.

It’s the “wants to” that gets me. He loves us so much that He chose to enter our fallen world and broken lives in the humble form of a baby, His Son. But this is no ordinary Son. He is both God and man. He is Jesus, and every longing of the human heart finds its fulfillment in Him.

In John 10:10 Jesus said, “I came so you might have life, a great full life. My purpose is to give you a rich and satisfying life.”

Life! This is Christ’s gift to us.

Source:     https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/jeannie-cunnion-why-we-shouldnt-keep-christ-in-christmas

Edited by Michael Rielly
Please see news article posting rules
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On 12/25/2019 at 6:48 AM, Drosselmeyer said:

not just Christmas, but every day . . .          80355719_171360937399407_522355856992790

I love, love, love this picture!  Thanks for sharing.

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  • 2 months later...

I honestly do not understand the conflation of Santa with Jesus. Yes, there is a historical relationship that is enhanced by the calendar, but Jesus is a religious issue celebrated by Christians. Santa is a secular figure celebrated by people of all faith - and even people with no faith at all. 

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The article is an excellent one!!!  That God wants to be with us so very much He made the way for that to be so in Jesus.  Thank you for posting the article.  

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  • 4 weeks later...

Saint Nicholas continued to pass on the messages of Jesus, then throughout time Santa became a version of Saint Nicholas to bring Joy and Hope and Love to the World, Three different people with the same thing in mind so yes we can take it all to Jesus and with Christmas falling on the day that was chosen to celebrate his Birth it could not be a better thing.  It might not hurt whenever possible to remind those we see about the true meaning of Christmas.

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  • 1 month later...

I believe that Santa is a representation of everything good!  I also believe that God works in mysterious ways.  It was always interesting to me that the basis of the Santa image was the poem by Clement Moore called A Visit from Saint Nicholas or  Twas the Night Before Christmas.  Moore introduced us to Santa Claus by describing him and what he wore, his mode of travel, his way of entering the home and the names of his reindeer.  I find it interesting that Moore was not only a writer and a Professor of Oriental and Greek Literature, but he was also a Professor of Divinity and Biblical learning.  I believe God uses people in different ways.  Moore created a beautiful story and the ending states, "But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night.  Moore didn't write Happy Holidays to All or Season's Greetings, he says Happy Christmas.  The happiness of Christmas is not Santa, but the birth of a child for which the holiday is celebrated.  Santa is excited to exclaim to everyone  Happy Christmas to All because he knows who gives the greatest gift!

Edited by Tim Cavender
misspelled word
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