The Live The Adventure Letter 
Think about last Christmas. Do you even remember it? If so, how did you celebrate? My guess is your answer has to do with whose house you went to, what food you may have prepared and enjoyed, or what gifts you bought or received, right?
Our first thoughts tend to reflect back on what we did or who we were with. In our family, we have had a long standing tradition of doing the same thing every year…. for over 30 years! We even prepare the same food each year!
But before we get swept away with thinking about our own Christmas traditions or maybe chaotic, dysfunctional family gatherings, I want us to reflect back to the very first Christmas – the birth of Jesus Christ.
Have you ever thought about who the first ones were to celebrate the very first Christmas and how they celebrated?
First of all, let’s think about who made the first announcement of “good tidings of great joy”? An angel and what did it say? “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)
Who did an angel bring good news of great joy to? The shepherds out in the fields. (Isn’t it amazing to think that of all the groups of people, the angel appears to the lowly shepherds out in the field tending their sheep? They didn’t pick the wealthy or most educated to share this good news with first! Very interesting, huh?)
So the angel tells the shepherds that there is reason for great joy because a Savior is born. What did the shepherds do? It says not only that they went and found Mary and Joseph and saw the newborn child, Jesus, but they did so with haste! They didn’t wait around but went immediately. And after their visit what did they do?
On their way back to their sheep, did they keep the birth of Jesus a secret? Of course not! In the gospel of Luke, it says, “Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.” (Luke 2:17-18)
Imagine the shepherds, traveling back home after their visit with Joseph, Mary and Jesus in a manager, and telling everyone what they saw! The joy that the shepherds experienced was evident.
Who doesn’t want to share great news? Think about when you have great news of great joy! Do you keep it to yourself? Not likely. In fact, we love to share good news.
When I had my first child, I couldn’t wait to call everyone and tell them! The hardest part for me was actually waiting in the recovery room after my c-section because I couldn’t call my family to tell them I had a beautiful baby girl! I had to wait for what seemed like forever, before I could get my phone out and start calling everyone I knew!
Now think about the shepherds. They were visited by an angel, told of the birth of our Savior, visited this child in a manager, and then on their way home, they told everyone about it! Can you blame them? What excitement and joy they must have experienced!
So think about this Christmas and how you will celebrate the season. Do you share the good news of Jesus’s birth like the shepherds did? Are you excited to share the glad tidings of great joy? Or do you get distracted by the hustle and bustle, parties, food preparation and gift buying instead?
Christmas should be the time when the joy of our Christian faith is especially evident to everyone! Despite the struggles you may be experiencing, do others see the true joy that this time of year brings for you as a Christian? Do you share the one and only reason for the season?
As I mentioned earlier, when we are excited about an engagement, a marriage, a birth of a child, a job promotion, a bill of clean health, we share the news with everyone. We can’t wait to share the news. Now think about your Christmas’s in the past as well as the one we will be celebrating in a few weeks. Are you as excited to share the good news? Do you radiate a message of hope, despite what is happening in your life?
Think about it. Is there anything more important to share and tell about? Of course not! For without Christ, there can be no reconciliation, no peace and no harmony amongst us. Without the birth of our Savior, we have no glad tidings, no joy, no hope. Without the birth of Jesus Christ there is no reason for celebration!
So in the next few weeks, as you prepare for Christmas and all that goes with it, may I encourage you to carefully think about how you and your family celebrate. May you keep the true meaning of Christmas at the forefront of your thoughts. And may you share the good news, glad tidings of great joy, with everyone that you meet!
