Alan Riley writes: “My father was born on this day- December 22. For his entire life, he was always getting “combination” presents - birthday and Christmas. Every year on his birthday, there weren’t balloons and birthday streamers. His birthday decorations were Christmas trees, Christmas lights and Santa Claus stuff. When he did get a separate present for Christmas, chances are it would be wrapped with… you guessed it- Christmas paper. I remember him telling me how as a child he couldn’t help but feel a little cheated. People were so busy celebrating Christmas that his birthday got overlooked.”
Have you noticed how easy it is to loose Christ during Christmas? We get so caught up in the busyness of the season; we forget the very basis of the season---the birth of Jesus! We go to Christmas parties, yet Christ is the furthest thing from our mind. Many times, he is never mentioned, acknowledged or even thought about.
The late Adrian Rogers once said, “It’s been my observation that people, rather than being drawn closer to Christ at Christmas, in a very real sense are drawn away from the Lord Jesus. It seems like, in the very midst of the celebration, we lose Jesus.”
Let’s not lose Christ this Christmas season. How? Have a birthday party for Jesus. In his book The Purpose of Christmas, Rick Warren gives the following agenda for a birthday party for Jesus:
Birthday Party for Jesus Agenda:
1. Sing some Christmas carols.
2. Read the Christmas story from the Bible, Luke 2:1-20; Matthew 2:1-12.
3. Each person shares answers to two questions:
1. What am I thankful to God for this year?
2. What am I going to give Jesus for his birthday?
4. Close by prayer for one another.
Let’s not get so busy celebrating Christmas that we forget Jesus!
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