The David Spoon Experience 12-20-23 part 2

1) I’m going to break the rules by not following our usual traditions. We normally don’t teach about the times and the seasons, but today I will. So this is a Christmas message. If you don’t like Christmas because of commercialism, secularism, and gift buying, then don’t celebrate it that way. But don’t impose your legalism on others. It’s absurd to think that God is angry that we honor Him on a special day. 

2) The bottom line of Christmas is this: God doesn’t want to be separated from us. That’s all you need to remember. Remember what happened in the garden? Adam and Eve sinned and hid from God. And what did God do? He called their names and pursued them. He didn’t want to be separated from them.

3) This is the essence of Christmas: the restoration of what was lost in the garden, the reconciliation of our separation, the renewal of our fellowship with our Creator. And this is possible only through the work of Jesus Christ. Without his birth, the separation remains. But in his birth, he is given a name that reveals God’s plan: Emmanuel, which means God with us, not apart from us.

4) A bigger challenge for Christians is this: when Jesus was born, there was no room for Him at the inn. This is often the case for many American Christians. We think that Jesus is awesome, and what He did is awesome. But the truth is that we don’t make room for Him in many areas of our lives. For many people, Christmas is a time to change how we relate to God and to prioritize Him above everything else.