Pastor’s Note
What’s Under Your Tree?
I almost called the Advent sermon series: So This is Christmas…? It’s a line from a John Lennon song you’ll no doubt hear at some point this Christmas.
The opening stanza goes like this:
So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
It’s a reminder that time is swift, “Another year over…” “What have you done…” is a reminder that we are accountable for how we spend our tIme—not to Mr. Lennon, but to God. Later in the song he sings this:
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear
His hopeful wish is for the year ahead without fear. We know that will happen one day:
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth… 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelations 21:1,3-5
Until than what do we do? We get on our knees. Ask forgiveness for fighting to put what you want under your tree. And you get up.. forgiven. And then you fight. Fight to eliminate fear in the hearts of everyone you meet. They need to know the One who came to end all fear…
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6
What’s under your tree? Get on your knees and look… stay there and ask for forgiveness… and get up and start fighting. Maybe next year you’ll answer, “What have I done? I was poured out and spent fighting for the souls of those enslaved and driven by fear. I gave them Jesus, the Prince of Peace.”
Peace,
Bill