Matthew 2:1-6
Each year, there’s a predictable variety
of responses to the celebrations and traditions of the Christmas season. Let’s
examine one of several responses to Christmas. Although 2,000 years have passed
since Christ was born, His birth still elicits similar attitudes.
One common response is indifference. Even
if they are filled with the holiday spirit and celebrate Christmas with gifts,
dinners, decorations, and parties, some people remain totally indifferent to
Jesus. He doesn’t even cross their minds because they’ve lost sight of the
reason for Christmas.
In the story of the
magi’s search for the newborn King of the Jews, we see a surprising
indifference on the part of the religious leaders. The entourage from the East
caused quite a stir in Jerusalem. It wasn’t every day that impressive visitors
arrived with such a shocking and exciting announcement. Yet when King Herod
asked the scribes and chief priests where the Messiah was to be born, they
simply told him the answer but made no attempt to go to Bethlehem themselves. Their
lives were already filled with their religious duties, and they had no time or
interest in anything that might disrupt their positions of prominence and
authority.
Sometimes it’s easy to let the activities
and pressures of Christmas push Jesus out of our thoughts. After all the
shopping is finished, the gifts are wrapped, and the food is prepared, we might
rush off to a Christmas Eve service. But even then, we often feel distracted.
Though it may take deliberate refocusing, this year let’s intentionally make
Jesus the priority of Christmas.
It has been a great Confederate year for me with many Confederate events that were planned. I love to be around our good, like minded Southern Dragoon members and friends. I pray that each of you have a blessed Christmas and a happy new year.
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