Every family I know celebrates Christmas with a sumptuous meal-and most
end up overeating!
In a parable from Jesus, He tells us about a
beautiful wedding banquet where all the best foods were offered.
Somehow, however, the people who were invited by the king refused to
come. Some even killed the servants who were sent to invite them!
"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet
for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the
banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. Then he sent
some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I
have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been
butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' "But
they paid no attention and went off--one to his field, another to his
business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed
them." (Matthew 22:2-6 NIV)
Christmas is all about the event of
Jesus' birth. He was willing to leave heaven to come in our
neighborhood, and eventually He died-willingly!-on a cross. His purpose?
To offer eternal salvation to anyone who accepts His gift. He did it all
for love.
Sadly, many turn their backs on this offer. They prefer
their own destiny.
The same is true about our sumptuous food this
Christmas. If we don't invite Jesus to share in the bounty of Christmas,
our meal will be missing the real reason of Christmas. How sad! Think
about it: How would you like to be given a birthday party, but you were
not invited? You are the one who has a birthday, but everyone ignores
you. Is that fair? Aren't they missing someone?
If only we fully
realized that for the "Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he
was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his
poverty might become rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9 NIV) Jesus gave the best
gift ever to humanity. Without Jesus, we are truly poor, we have no real
purpose. His death, however, led to everlasting living with the King of
Kings. Have you ever been acknowledged by a King or President? The King
of Kings does that for us, because He cares for us. Doesn't it make
sense to invite this loving King to our table?
This past summer,
we experienced a little bit of how Jesus feels when so many refuse to
even acknowledge Him. We were in Boulogne-sur-Mer, a lovely French city
near the North Sea. We had visited the old town and we wanted to visit
the Casa San Martin, a house built to commemorate Jose de San Martin
who liberated Argentina. It was indicated that this museum would be open
until 6 P.M. We arrived there at 4:30 P.M. and the door was already
locked. When we looked through the windows, no one was there! We decided
to eat at a lovely creperie in the Old Town instead. We had found it on
Tripadvisor, but once we arrived, the restaurant was closed-for good
this time! Another patron had taken over the restaurant, and it would
eventually offer Turkish food when it reopened; but this didn't help us
much. We had been disappointed in this town two times, for both places
had not come through.
Eventually we found another creperie, and
they welcomed us with open arms. The owner was very friendly, and the
food was delicious. We felt right at home.
May I encourage those
who feel rejected to come to Jesus. This is what He promises to you:
"Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to
me I will never reject." (John 6:37 MontgomeryNT)
May we not
reject the real reason for Christmas. Christmas without Christ ends up
in a celebration of nothingness.
How will we celebrate our
Christmas this year?
"For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I
was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you took me
in; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I
was in prison, and you came to see me." (Matthew 25:35-36 MontgomeryNT)
Rob Chaffart
Celebrating the Real Reason. Christmas Jubilation, Part 4
Today's Bible Verse:
"But they paid no attention and went
off--one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his
servants, mistreated them and killed them." (Matthew 22:6)
Celebrating the Real Reason. Christmas Jubilation, Part 4
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