Know Christ and Make Christ Known this Christmas By Rhonda Stoppe
Come they told me, pa-rum-pa-pum-pum The newborn King to see, pa-rum-pa-pum-pum. How can we make it our priority to know Christ and make Christ known this Christmas?
Why do I love this old favorite Christmas song so much! I think it is because the focus is not on the big guy in the red suit, or his reindeer with the glowing nose, or even on that adorable snowman who came to life one day.
The little drummer boy is an incredible picture of what our priority focus should be: to know Christ and make Christ known this Christmas. And since I am an evangelist at heart I get almost giddy when I picture someone telling this little guy with the drum, “Hey, you gotta come NOW and see this. There is a newborn baby, born in a barn who is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Savior of the world!”
As we approach the Christmas season, on what do you focus? The pre-Christmas sales? Or maybe you are the family’s baking buff so you have a long list of ingredients you need to shop for, so you can get started rolling out those cookies in the shape of Christmas trees-or whatever your signature goodies are.
These days with Pinterest, you could spend hour upon hour discovering how to make homemade gifts, set an incredibly festive table, and roast your turkey to a succulent delight. (I don’t know about you, but I am a pinner, not a doer. I pin all kinds of recipes, and ideas, and never––seriously never––try any of them.)
How can you and your family remember to know Christ and make Christ known this Christmas? I’m glad you asked…Take some time to read aloud to your family the historical account of Jesus birth in Luke chapter 2.
Don’t wait until 5 minutes before your kids are gonna rip open those gifts to read the Christmas story. I think when you do this, all the kids hear is “on your mark…get set…go!” as you attempt to get them to listen to what the Bible says is the TRUE MEANING – to know Christ and make Christ known this Christmas.
Take in the wonder of the miraculous birth of the Savior of the World. The King of Heaven who left his throne to be born of a woman so that He could live a sinless life and then willingly suffer, and die on a cruel cross to take away the sins of any person who would turn from their sin, and enter into a relationship with Jesus (See John 3:16-17, Romans 10:9).
In Luke 2:9-15 the shepherds lives were changed forever when a multitude of angels burst upon the scene and said: (Try to read this as tho you’ve never heard it before)
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Why do you suppose the angels told the shepherds not to be afraid? Because they were shakin’ in their sandals that’s why!
Can you imagine how you might have felt if the sky suddenly lit up with thousands, upon thousands of angels proclaiming Glory to God in the highest? I’m pretty sure I would have loved it –and been terrified all at the same time! How about you?
Why is it we are unmoved–at the very least complacent–when we read this account of the hosts of heaven proclaiming the most glorious moment when God would bring good will on earth and long awaited peace to men through the birth of Jesus?
Is it because we have forgotten to know Christ and make Christ known this Christmas? Have we become so distracted by the financial burdens of buying more gifts, or the pressure to have a Pinterest perfect Christmas party? Or is it simply because we have not spent the entire year washing our minds with the water of the word so we can think with the mind of Christ? (see Eph. 5:26, 1 Cor. 2:16)
The shepherds were so moved when they saw Messiah in the manger they told everyone about Jesus! Listen to what we can learn from the shepherds example to know Christ and make Christ known this Christmas:
And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them (Luke 2:16-18).
The angels were completely blown away that their King of heaven left His throne to rescue mere creation. The Apostle Peter says this about how the angels view our chance at redemption in 1 Peter 1:12, Those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
You see, the angels of heaven so badly want to understand God’s plan for redeeming mankind, that they literally long to look into it (the word look into in this verse means to bend down and peer into.)
Listen to what the angels proclaimed about Jesus once He rose from the dead and took his rightful place once again on His throne:
And they sing a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation…and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might and honor, and glory, and blessing (Revelation 5:8-13).
Oh how I long for the day when we all worship Jesus the King of heaven around His throne. In the mean time, try to remember how glorious the Christmas story truly is. And ask God to help you to know Christ and make Christ known this Christmas. And as the angels understood, With Your blood You purchased men for God let us be in grateful awe of what Christ has done to buy us back from our bondage in sin.
Like the little drummer boy’s song, won’t you share the most important gift of all with those around you: to know Christ and make Christ known this Christmas? Telling others Come––The King to see par-rum-pa-pum-pum.
Know Christ and Make Christ Known this Christmas!
To learn more about author Rhonda Stoppe, please visit the NoRegretsWoman.
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