Weekend Words

 From Christmas - Quiet Moments for the Season...

Christmas Choice

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?  We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."  When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.  He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the child.  As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."  After they had heard the King, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.  Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route." - Matthew 2:1-3, 7-12

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.

The glitter of bright decorations, the sound of joyous Christmas carols, the happy children, and the cheerful "Merry Christmas" greetings sometimes give the impression that everybody is glad that Jesus came to our planet.  But that isn't true today, and it never was.

The news of Jesus' birth evoked a mixed reaction.  An angel brought "good tidings of great joy."  The shepherds and wise men welcomed the Savior.  But Herod was so troubled when he heard about it that he tried to destroy the baby Jesus.  And the religious leaders of that day were indifferent.  They sent no delegation to Bethlehem to find out what had happened.

Still today, thousands honor Jesus and rejoice in their salvation.  But many others hate Him.  They make efforts to outlaw the singing of Christmas carols in shopping malls and the display of nativity scenes in public places.  Many others are apathetic.  They go along with the celebration of the season.  They join in singing Christmas carols.  But they never ask themselves who Jesus is or why He came.  They don't think of their responsibility to believe in Him and receive Him as their Savior.

Are you among the indifferent?  To ignore him and His claims is to reject Him.  Christmas demands a decision about Christ.  The choice is yours.

- Herb Vander Lugt