Skip to main content

This is Why Christmas Happened

Imagine being in the best place ever. Don't get hung up on it looking like other people's best place ever. Just imagine a place that you never tired of, never grew weary of being and could never imagine some place better.

Best place ever.

Now imagine the best person ever. Don't make this about a boyfriend or girlfriend. Forget the possibilities of tension. Just imagine a person that you never grew tired of, never grew weary of being around, and could never imagine someone better to hang out with.

Best person ever.

In the best place ever.

Now imagine a scenario in which I could give you something to stop hanging around with the best person ever, in the best place ever. What kind of trade would it take? What kind of deal could I make you?

Seems ridiculous, right? What could I possibly have to trade you for being in the best place with the best person? You'd have to be a fool...or at least be fooled into thinking there was something else...something more.

Maybe this sounds stupid to you. Maybe you're sitting there thinking to yourself, 'If I am content thinking I have the best possible situation, why even consider the possibility of something better? Why want for more when I'm already perfectly happy?'

Or maybe you want to at least hear me out. Perhaps the offer intrigues you. Upon hearing the trade offer, which is little more than a curtain hiding a lie, imagine what the best person ever thinks as you actually take the trade.

What would have to happen to cause you to hide from the best person ever in the best place ever?

But this is basically what happened in Genesis 3. I was reminded of this truth as my awesome wife reminded the kids of our church that the Christmas story began in Genesis, where we see the reason why Jesus had to come in the first place.

This is why Christmas happened.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Accountable

I recently officiated a wedding. The ceremony was simple, lovely, and ended with another couple professing to keep the covenant of marriage. But it all started with a clarification...from me. At our first premarital counseling session, as I have done with every couple I have agreed to marry, I clarified a couple of matters. First, I officiate Christian weddings, where both spouses-to-be are professing Christians. I firmly believe that marriage is difficult enough, without adding disagreements about God into the mix. Second, as a minister of Jesus Christ, I believe the pastor’s role in a wedding is to represent the blessing of God on that union. So we have several sessions of premarital counseling where we discuss married life. It’s not that I have this imaginary card in my head, with a picture of me on the front and my stats on the back. (You know, like a baseball card.) Ok, I do picture cards. Pastor cards! And being a competitive guy, I want my stats to look good. The number of coupl...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Facebook Maybe

Granted, I'm a pastor. I have Type-A tendencies. Ok, my tendencies border on freakish OCD behavior patterns, but... Few things bother me more than the Facebook 'maybe'. I suppose I could go on and on about the grey areas of our society and the refusal of people to accept absolute standards. I could discuss the great need of people to accept that what is wrong for one person is likely wrong for everyone. I should certainly be concerned about mentioning that someone might have sin in their life. But I don't believe the Facebook 'maybe' is quite sin. Perhaps if I were coming up with new sins, I would add this to the list. But alas... Some might think the Facebook 'maybe' did not exist prior to the Internet, but they would be wrong. When I was in high school and asked a girl out on a date, I would normally be told that if they had no other plans, if nobody else called them, if there was nothing good on television and their hair did not need washing, then per...
5 comments
Read more

I Need the Boldness of Some Sinners I Know

Have you ever come across someone who was really bold, but not necessarily in the good way? It's the person you agreed to give a ride to, and along the way they ask you if they can make a second stop. It's someone asking for money and then you watch them spend it on something they didn't need. It could be the child who comes to the dinner table and announces why they don't like what you cooked. Maybe it is the people who refuse to help, yet criticize the work being done.  The nerve of some people, right? It's the guy being crucified next to God. This guy being crucified for being a thief. Yeah, the guy who, according to Roman rule, deserved to be there. We're given no indication that this guy, this thief, had anyone there who was about to miss him. That guy. He turns to Jesus and asks if he can get into Heaven.  Can you believe that? via GIPHY The only thing more incredible than his request is the answer he receives from Jesus.  Yes. Ye...
Post a Comment
Read more