Tis the Season

"Tis the Season to Be Jolly, Fa La La La La La La La la!"  It's that time of year once again.  The Christmas season is now in full swing!  After a day filled with turkey, dressing, ham, and all the trimmings, millions of shoppers will be shopping today, which is classifed as Black Friday in the business world.  Retail stores and shopping malls will be jammed with shoppers purchasing Christmas gifts at bargain rates.  It's a very busy time.  I, for one, don't participate in the early morning shopping spree the day after Thanksgiving.  It's not worth it. 

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays of the year.  For one thing I like the Christmas tree and all the various Christmas lights and decorations you see displayed before the public.  I love to decorate for Christmas.  I also love the opportunity to reflect on the real meaning of Christmas, which is God the Father sending His son to be born of a virgin to die for the sins of the world. Jesus was born in humble surroundings in a lowly manger.  He didn't enjoy the comforts that we enjoy today as Americans.  Yet he left the splendor of Heaven to come into this old sinful world to become a mortal man.  He was God incarnate.  He was perfect and sinless.  He fulfilled His father's will on earth.  He fulfilled the law of God, which is something man wasn't able to do in their sinful state.  Jesus was obedient unto death.  Thank God!  It was because of what Jesus did on Calvary why we can celebrate Christmas.  I remember years ago the late Dr. D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, co-authored a book entitled, "What if Jesus Had Never Been Born?".  Just imagine life without the Savior coming to this earth and dying for the sins of man.  What a mess mankind would be in.  Man would spend eternity in the Lake of fire.  Also, the world would never have the opportunity to experience the grace of God.  Man could never know what it means to have their sins forgiven and experience God's peace. 

As usual there will be all kinds of Christmas activities cranking up such as Christmas parades, cantatas, musicals, gift-giving, the Messiah musical, and the list continues.  Third Baptist Church in Owensboro has been performing the Messiah since December 7, 1941, when the Pearl Harbor attack took place.  Ever since that time, the musical has been performed on or close to December 7.  The Messiah will be performed at Third Baptist Church this year on Sunday December 5, 2010. 

As usual, I will be featuring Christmas posts between now and Christmas this December, the same as last year.  One thing I will also be doing this year is repeating a few Christmas posts written last year.  "Jesus Was Born of a Virgin", which was originally posted on December 20, 2009, will be re-posted on November 28, 2010.  There are a couple of other Christmas posts I'll repeat this Christmas season.  As usual, I'll be featuring Christmas songs and I'll be writing posts entitled, Christmas Traditions, just like last year.  I'll mention about the different Christmas traditions that have been passed down from generations past.  I'll also continue writing posts about the history of Christmas as well.  I'm eagerly looking forward to the Christmas holidays.  Let's celebrate this special occasion with joy in our hearts and thanks to the Savior for His coming to this earth to be born of a virgin so that one day He would die for the sins of man.