Tis the Season

It’s that time of year again. The leaves are changing colors, mornings are crisp and cool, and football sweatshirts and jerseys are being donned. The holidays are only a few months away. For some, the holiday season begins amid costumes, tricks, and treats. For others, the official start is a bit more auspicious and revolves around a traditional Thanksgiving feast and holiday shopping. The culmination of the season, of course, occurs in late December with the arrival of Santa and the ushering in of a New Year. People will eat, drink, and be merry as they gather in celebration.

The religious, semi-religious, and even hesitantly religious will flock to churches where extra services and seating will be added to accommodate the holiday crowds. Whether a candlelight vigil or early morning service, churches across the country will experience a short-lived surge in attendance. It strikes me as odd that only at this time of year, with Easter perhaps being the other exception, that so many people either find religion or ascribe this particular season a modicum of respect. Sure, some people are visiting from out of the area, but many are local and are here all year. Each Christmas season as I sit in the pew, I look to the pastor manning the pulpit and long for the sermon I know I’d give. And it would go something like this –

“Although I’m no theologian,

I know a thing or two.

Eleven months a year,

I see mostly half-empty pews.

Now at this time,

At this blessed event,

You sit here,

Consider it time well spent.

My question to you is,

Where have you been?

Living your lives,

Indulging in sin?

You sit at home

Throughout the year,

And arrive here at Christmas

Full of holiday cheer.

Does it make you feel holy

To stand there and sing,

            As we celebrate the birth

Of Christ the King?

            Christianity

Is not all about this night.

            You live it daily,

And fight the good fight.

            Heaven is eternal

And so is hell.

            Which is something

You should know well.

            To live for Jesus

And serve only him,

            Involves more

Than just singing a hymn.

It involves service, sacrifice,

And bearing your cross.

            Suffering, hardship,

And sometimes extreme loss.

            Don’t just sit there

Looking up at me.

            Go and witness,

What we call Christianity.

            Seven days a week,

Every week of the year,

            The Day of Judgment

Draws ever near.

            Eternity awaits

For those believe,

            Not just for those

Here on Christmas Eve.

            A child was born,

A king was crowned,

            Nailed to a cross

And buried in the ground.

            He rose from the dead,

Quite the victory,

            And He’s now my King

For all eternity.

            Do you know him?

Is he your God?

            You sit and stare,

Some of you nod.

            This isn’t a game,

This isn’t a test.

            It’s about eternal life …

And eternal death.

            Forget the presents,

Put aside the cheer

            Get to church each week

Every Sunday of the year.

            Worship him

With all of your heart,

            Do it each day,

Right from the start.

            Christ is King

And Lord of the mass,

            For Christians,

Everyday is Christmas!

            I see you looking,

I hear your plea,

            ‘Surely, he cannot

Be talking about me!’

            Take a moment,

Give yourself pause.

            Have you ever broken

Any of His laws?

            We’re all sinners

In need forgiveness,

            I stand here only

As Christ’s witness.

            I do not judge,

Nor do I condemn.

            My only desire

Is to fully serve Him.

            To serve my king, 

To bless his name,

            Live a life

Without much shame.

            Christmas is a day

Only one day of the year,

Yet it’s the only time

You show your face here.

            God is not fooled,

See, he looks at the heart.

He knows who you are you are,

He knows every part.

            Forget this night,

The tree, and the trim.           

            Throw it out,

Bow down and worship him.

            He’s King of kings

And Lord of lords.

            Not in need of celebration

By our accord.”

            I’d give my sermon, just like that. I’d blast the congregation and make them think. Oh, I’m sure I’d hear about it later, and many would not return. But I don’t care about numbers, only souls. It disgusts me year after year how we smile, greet each other, and say “Merry Christmas.” Oh, we get quite the charge out of saying that in a time when doing so is not considered to be politically correct. But what are we really celebrating? Hope? A miracle? A fulfilled promise? As the world spins further out of control, what I celebrate at Christmas is what it’s been all along – salvation. Sure, we get filled with happiness at Christmas, sadness on Good Friday, and rejoice on Easter Sunday. We are nothing more than rote Christians.

            Christ’s birth was in effect the deliverance of his people. It was the arrival of salvation in human form. Before Christ died, when he raised Lazarus from the dead, he said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11: 25-25, NIV). He was the resurrection before he died on the cross. Christmas becomes more materialistic every year, and society continues to push God aside and demonize Christians and Christianity.

            Christians need to wake up and realize time is short. Sure, it’s great to celebrate the birth of our King, but what we should really be concerned about is the salvation of those who seasonally fill the pews. We refrain from evangelism, from speaking the Word. Sin isn’t mentioned, nor is hell.  The familiar story of the shepherds abiding in the fields is told with the promise of hope for all. Well, time is running out, hope is waning. It’s time to preach the word to the masses that attend. Christmas service matters little compared to eternity in hell, yet we mask the Gospel and make it palatable for all.

            The message is clear – believe, repent, and be forgiven. It’s so simple, so why do we hold back? When the pews are full, this is the time to preach the word. Many may never be back for a year, if at all. Pastors need to put aside their fears and preach the Word while there still is time. Christ is on His way to reclaim his church. There will be no Christmases after his return - just misery and strife for the nonbelievers. How many of them sit in the pew every year unaware? I am reminded of the Billy Squire Christmas song that goes, “Christmas is the time to say I love you; share the joys of laughter and good cheer. Christmas is the time to say I love you and a feeling that will all through the year.” How about “Christmas is the time to say I don’t want you to burn in hell. Do you know Christ?” Yeah, I know, it just doesn’t have that festive ring to it, but it’s really more applicable than singing carols while drinking eggnog on your way to hell, don’t you think?

            Salvation is the real message of Christmas, and it’s more applicable now than perhaps at any other time in history. Biblical prophecy and its fulfillment is rapidly unfolding. The stage is being set for what the Bible terms the worst time in human history – a time that will never be equaled. And yet we ignore this teaching and focus on a manger as we sing Silent Night. Christ was born to take away the sin of the world. In short, he was born to die for the many who would believe that they might receive eternal life. That is the real Christmas message, not pomp, presents, cookies, pies, and treats! Sure, it’s okay to celebrate, to give thanks, and rejoice. But if we ignore Revelation, it will still arrive, and the many lost souls who fill the hallowed pews each year might never receive salvation.

            The Great Commission is our charge to preach the gospel, not to celebrate with hymns, decorations, and mistletoe. The Christian life is full of struggle, misery, and suffering. But this we are called to endure.  So this Christmas, let’s preach the Word. Let’s take a chance and attempt to save a soul or two. Forget the traditional service, Joy to the World, and the candlelights. Reach out to those who only attend this special time of year. Tell them about heaven; tell them about hell. Tell them about Christ the King and the salvation he brings. Ask them to believe and repent, to seek salvation, and to serve him everyday, for the time is growing short. He is near the door and will knock very soon!