I simply just love Christmas. This combination of a break from school, special times to serve God, wonderful times with a loving family, the food, and music that completely reflects the light of God just add to a spirit of love and joy. How sad I am for those who have not realized the true Spirit of Christmas!
I believe that the true spirit of Christmas is the Spirit that came to earth after Jesus left. That Holy Spirit of God who enables the righteous of God to act righteous and have the fruits of the Spirit. People always talk about getting into the "Christmas spirit" and, yes, that Christmas spirit of wonder and stuff is easy to achieve for a kid. But have you ever stopped to consider the wonder available to all of us Christians?
In the past two weeks at church we have been going over a sermon series called The Christmas List. (Note: if you want to watch the sermon click here) What's on that list? An ancient list of virtues that Christmas should inspire in us. What are those virtues? The three virtues taken from Luke 2:1-16 (most notably vs.10,11,13 and 14) are:
These virtues remind me of one of my favorite poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called Christmas Bells. This poem was written by Longfellow during a tough time in his life. Not only was the Civil War wraging but he had also just lost his wife. All these bad things had happened to him, yet he still had that wonderful Christmas Spirit. The Christmas Spirit he had was the one enables us to have unfailing joy in any circumstance.
I believe that the true spirit of Christmas is the Spirit that came to earth after Jesus left. That Holy Spirit of God who enables the righteous of God to act righteous and have the fruits of the Spirit. People always talk about getting into the "Christmas spirit" and, yes, that Christmas spirit of wonder and stuff is easy to achieve for a kid. But have you ever stopped to consider the wonder available to all of us Christians?
In the past two weeks at church we have been going over a sermon series called The Christmas List. (Note: if you want to watch the sermon click here) What's on that list? An ancient list of virtues that Christmas should inspire in us. What are those virtues? The three virtues taken from Luke 2:1-16 (most notably vs.10,11,13 and 14) are:
- Joy (the natural outflow of having a relationship with God)
- Peace (peace=wholeness in God through Jesus)
- Good-Will (means that God is delighted to offer you His favor)
These virtues remind me of one of my favorite poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called Christmas Bells. This poem was written by Longfellow during a tough time in his life. Not only was the Civil War wraging but he had also just lost his wife. All these bad things had happened to him, yet he still had that wonderful Christmas Spirit. The Christmas Spirit he had was the one enables us to have unfailing joy in any circumstance.
Christmas Bells
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."
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