Stopping to Think About Christmas
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
Luke 2:8-15
Christmas is now only a few weeks away! Where does the time go between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s like Warp Speed. There is so much to do: buying gifts, decorating, planning meals, planning events, attending pageants, and writing the dreaded-by-all Christmas letter, all while continuing to spin the plates you already have spinning.Each of us has our own traditions at Christmas and that is always a special time, but there are also people who struggle with depression, anxiety, and loneliness during this family-focused time. Maybe they lost a loved one. Some have difficult memories about their childhood. Some have been abused or abandoned and this season has a negative impact on them emotionally.But, we as Christians must keep focusing on the real reason for Christmas and must never lose sight of that even in our stressful or lonely moments. Because of the birth of Jesus Christ, Who was fully God and fully Man, there is undeniable hope for our world, hope for your family, and hope for you.For those who criticize Christianity or dismiss Christmas as just another day off, it is important to understand how Jesus’ birth changed the world. His impact on the world in history and now is inarguable. This same Jesus Whose birth divided time, is as real right now as He has ever been. He is still transforming lives, marriages, families, relationships, and bodies of those who will surrender to Him and leave the results to Him.Jesus’ birth transformed society in—education, the protection of children, compassion, humility, forgiveness, and the elevation of women.One scientist, Peter Stoner, applied the modern science of probability to just eight prophecies regarding Christ. He says “The chance that any man might have fulfilled all eight prophecies is one in ten to the 17th power, one hundred quadrillion. Jesus fulfilled dozens more prophecies, but this just considered 8 of them.This is one of those good Christmas trivia issues that many people do not know about Charles Schultz and A Charlie Brown Christmas.The animated story A Charlie Brown Christmas airs on one of the major television networks seasonally. The two producers who worked closely with Charlie Brown creator Charles Schultz remembered their desperate efforts to convince a network to show the special originally. All the major networks were hesitant. Finally, one agreed, and the great cartoonist got to work.A memorable and moving part of A Charlie Brown Christmas occurs when the cartoon character Linus strolls to center stage and reads the biblical account of the meaning of Christmas. The two producers working with Schultz cautioned him about putting something like that in the special, because they were convinced it wouldn't go over well. Charles Schultz faced both of the producers and said, "If not us, then who's going to do it?" (ABC, WRTV Indianapolis; Bill Melendez Productions).