Merry Christmas, everyone! In spite of COVID and social distancing and all, we have reason to celebrate Jesus’ birthday! He was born for us!
To remind ourselves of the amazing events, we can read their descriptions in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 2:1-20.
But as a pastor, I used to enjoy preaching about Christmas by using less typical passages. So for today, I’d like to discuss Christmas according to 1 Corinthians.
“Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ–their Lord and ours: 3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5For in him you have been enriched in every way–with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge– 6God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 10I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” – 1 Corinthians 1:1-10
In this passage, the apostle Paul refers to Jesus 11 times (if we count “him” in vs. 5). One of the criticisms I hear now is “Happy Holidays” has replaced “Merry Christmas.” And when people do mention Christmas, Santa has more to do with it than Jesus does. But Christmas is Jesus’ birthday; He’s the reason why we celebrate! And at the opening of this letter, Paul reminds believers of Christ’s priority. The Bible is all about Jesus, the Christian life is all about Jesus; and so is Christmas.
Not only is Jesus God’s gift to us at Christmas, but He came to bring us even more. Here’s how Paul highlights God’s generosity. Through Jesus, we receive:
- a call to service (vs. 1)
- purity (vs. 2)
- grace and peace (vs. 3)
- grace (vs. 4) (nothing wrong with more!)
- riches of wisdom (vs. 5)
- a story to tell (vs. 6)
- spiritual gifts (vs. 7)
- blamelessness (vs. 8)
- fellowship (vs. 9)
- unity (vs. 10)
“So what did you get for Christmas?” Remember that question when you were a child? But through Jesus, God has given you much more than you knew to ask for. In Christ Jesus, we have everything!
Don’t let the strange circumstances of this year dampen your Christmas. In Christ, we have the greatest blessings and because they’re from Him, they won’t fade away. They’ll outlast the trials of this world!
Merry Christmas!
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