Emmanuel, God with us. God who chose to be with us!
Jesus was the gift longed for far before the His announced birth by the angels. Prophets foretold His birth. Mary was unsure of how, yet invited the experience and wrote a song of praise. John flips for joy in Elizabeth’s womb. Angels praise. Wisemen come from afar. Joseph obeyed and stayed.
To revisit the birth narrative of Jesus yearly is an invitation for us to consider again the reason for His birth. You may have seen the saying “Jesus is the reason for the season.” This does not, alone, tell us the reason for the season. We are the reason for Christmas. We are the reason He was born, lived, died, and rose from the grave to give us life abundant. While we know He was the “good news that will cause great for all people”, have we internalized that we have been passed the baton to be the ‘good news” carriers? Christmas is the celebration of the Messiah’s birth, but it also is the reminder call to His cause.
Advent and Christmas are an invitation to live out His cause… to live out love, to BE CHRISTMAS. Through our YpsiFree mission partnerships locally and globally, we have the wonder-filled opportunity to share the “good news” by meeting tangible needs of our mission partners who are sharing and spreading His peace. Sacrificial giving is central to the heart of a follower of Jesus. So, let’s not only celebrate God’s promise to us by seeing the lights, feasting with family and friends, and attending gatherings. Let’s take the opportunity to spread peace on earth by giving generously to our partners sharing the good news and expanding God’s Kingdom.
Select where your generous giving will go from the BE CHRISTMAS giving list as a family or individually and fill out the form. Your Be Christmas giving can be given through Saturday, December 31. Giving is easy and available online, by mail, or bring to the office.
Isn’t it amazing we can get in on spreading the true “peace on earth”? What an invitation from the One who is always with us! So, join me and let’s worship the King sacrificially just as He lived for us. Let’s BE CHRISTMAS, not just do Christmas!
love, Pastor Steve
