Taking Back The Reason for the Season

Have any of you noticed that, as every year passes and we come to Christmastime once again, Christmas becomes more and more secular? Several years ago, we used to get outraged when a single store omitted the term “Merry Christmas” and instead opted for the more politically-correct term “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings.” Now, it seems that we just don’t care anymore because almost every business is doing it. It has become such a routine part of our Christmas experience that we have become desensitized to it.

It used to frustrate me greatly because I see something seriously wrong with Retail America hijacking the Christmas spirit and using it for their own profit, and then refusing to acknowledge publicly that Christmas even exists, or that it is even important, for that matter. Some people have even become so discouraged and frustrated with this, that they have opted not to celebrate Christmas at all, or Easter, or Halloween (All Saints’ Eve), for that matter – all Christian holidays that have become secularized. It is very sad to me when Christians let secularism rob them of the joy that comes with celebrating the wonderful things our Lord has done for us.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to please enjoy Christmas anyway. When you walk into a store and they say to you “happy holidays,” turn to them and say “may the peace of Jesus Christ be with you this Christmas season and always.” During this season, we remember the birth of the single most important person to ever walk the face of this earth. It is a time when we remember that God Himself came down into this world in the flesh to redeem the flesh, to undo what Adam and Eve did when they wanted to be like God. The miracle that is the life of Jesus Christ is to be celebrated in the hearts of all faithful people and we should never allow ourselves to be robbed of the joy of Christmas by those who want to use Christmas for their own financial gain, or who want to have the joy of celebrating Christmas, but have no intention to love or follow Jesus Christ.

My favorite part of the Christmas story is the shepherds (Luke 2:8-20). The shepherds saw something so glorious that it scared them to death. The angels calmed their fears, then gave them something to rejoice about. But they didn’t stop there. They ran all around the countryside and told everyone that they could find the good news, or should I say “The Good News?” In this Christmas season, rejoice as the Shepherds did when the angels sang “Glory to God in the Highest Heaven, and on earth, peace, among men whom he favors.” But most importantly, let others see you rejoice. Do not be afraid to share the true reason for the season. Christ is counting on you! May you be richly blessed this Christmas, and may God you a blessing to others.

Speak the Truth Boldly - No Fear!

When we were at Diocesan Convention in October, there came that poignant moment in time when our new Bishop, Eric Menees, stood up to speak and to give his new vision for the Diocese. He talked of the Great Commission, and his vision of us planting new dioceses. In his vision, he also stated that the Episcopal Church “was and is willfully leading others along the path to hell.”

I must confess to you all that, when he said that, I immediately recoiled. Did he just say what I think he said? Boy, he’s going to pay for that one. Of course, I knew that what he was saying was absolutely right – and I knew immediately that he had just called me up short.

How many times do we withhold our witness or not speak the truth out of fear of what people are going to think of us? The fact that I winced when he said those words let me know that I have a long way to go. If we are to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, then we have to care more about Jesus than we do ourselves, and when we hold back in fear of how people are going to take what we say, then that shows that we care more about ourselves than we do speaking the truth to others – we choose fear over love. I maintain to you that this is one of the reasons that the Episcopal Church got itself into trouble. It cared more about not offending its individual members than it did about faithfully proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And as someone who was in the Episcopal Church for 34 years, I can assure you that old habits die hard.

For that reason, I want to do something. In front of all of you who are reading this article, I repent for all the times that I did not faithfully say what needed to be said because I was worried about who gets offended. I repent of all those times when I chose to do what was easy, rather than what was right. I repent of all those time when I held back, and thus sent the message that I cared more about myself and my own conflict avoidance than I did about the people that God entrusted me to care for. Lord, I beg your mercy and your forgiveness and I am so thankful that you died on the Cross to forgive me of my sins. Thank you, Lord.

My brothers and sisters, I am not advocating that we go out into the world to be recklessly offensive. If we do that, then we really do care more about ourselves than we do God or others. When we hear that little voice in our head that says “I wouldn’t say that if I were you,” we should be careful. Often, that is the voice of Satan in our heads trying to talk us out of saying what God wants us to say. I encourage you all to stand firm in your faith. Speak the truth in love. And in all things, I ask our Lord and Savior to deliver us from any fear that might keep us from being the most effect witnesses for Jesus Christ that we are all called to be. May God give us strength, enthusiasm, and a joy for His Gospel that conquers all!