What About Me?

 

Now if the spirit of Him who rouses Jesus from among the dead is making its home in you, He Who rouses Christ Jesus from among the dead will also be vivifying your mortal bodies because of His spirit making its home in you. 

Romans 8: 11, Concordant New Testament 

A few years back, a man by the name of Wayne Jacobsen penned the book 'So you don't want to go to church anymore.'  The book depicts the story of a man, disillusioned pastor Jake Colsen, who is convinced that he has been in conversation with John, one of the original disciples of Christ Jesus.  It seems that pastor Colsen has become disillusioned with the performance based Christianity of his profession.  I thought of this book this week as I pondered a similar question, how is it that Jesus would view our current Christmas season were He alive today?  Of course, the wonderful news of the gospel of Christ Jesus is that our Lord and Savior IS ALIVE today in each of us.  The apostle Paul speaks to this in Galatians {Galatians 2:20}.  The fact that the One and only individual Who remains in us is Christ.  And, if Christ remains in us, God remains.  It is Jesus who spoke to Philip that if he had seen Him, he had witnessed the Father as well {John 14:9}.  So, Jesus IS alive and among us in our Christmas environment today.  What would you think His reaction to all of the retail and dog and pony show church services would be?  Well, I believe that He might just wonder one thing, what about Me?  What about that night so long ago when God fulfilled the words spoken by the prophet Isaiah {Isaiah 9:6-7}?  Indeed, it would seem that the world may have relegated the celebration of the Christ child to a backseat, behind seasonal retail sales and holiday decorations.  I saw a news program the other night in which a question was asked of random people on the street, what is it that you look forward to during Christmas?  Predictably, the answers ranged from turkey dinners to holiday decorations.  Yes, I can still hear the question of Jesus, what about Me?  Yes, what about Jesus?  Has Jesus become simply an afterthought in our rush for the perfect gift or best decorations during the Christmas season?  Well, if He has, then the mainstream church has indeed contributed to that.  Christmas eve services are now more or less dog and pony shows interpreting the celebration of the birth of Christ.  

Are you not aware that you are a temple of God and the spirit of God is making its home in you?

1 Corinthians 3: 16, Concordant New Testament 

Growing up, I admit that my attention was all too often grabbed by the prospect of having a few weeks off from school during the holidays.  Along with that came the eagerness of what gifts would be coming my way.  Yes, I knew the story of the birth of Christ Jesus, but it seems that all worldly things took importance over that.  My mother was big on attending the Christmas eve church service, so she would always drag me along with her, although it was Christmas eve and my heart just wasn't in the Jesus mood at that moment.  My attention was usually on what was under the tree at home.  Hey, I was a kid and we're supposed to be excited about Christmas, right?  Again Jesus asks, what about Me?  But let's ask ourselves, what was Christmas like during Jesus' time?  Hah, gotcha!  Obviously, there would be no celebration over the young boy Jesus as He was still alive and growing.  Yet most Christians recall the scriptures of that night where the Father fulfilled what was spoken by the prophets.  The night where our redemption truly began.  For lying in that barn in Bethlehem was the One who would give Himself on our behalf {2 Corinthians 5:21}.  THAT is the reason for this season that we find ourselves in.  For the greatest gift we could ever receive will not be unwrapped under the Christmas tree, but revealed by the Father in us.  

~Scott~