The Christmas events are about people experiencing the Jesus-thrill. That’s the thrill that can last all life long and beyond! They proclaim that the Creator of the Universe was born as a human baby to lay down His life in order to offer eternal life to humanity.

Like Mary, humans have been invited to carry the living Jesus inside them and reveal Him to the world. Christ living and growing in Mary began a process that is supposed to lead to Christ living and growing in you. If you’re unwilling to make room for Jesus to live and grow inside of you, you’re aborting God’s desire to give you eternal life.

The Christmas events are full of people being directed by God: Mary, Joseph, wisemen, shepherds, Simeon, and Anna. Are you? Those events are about various people searching for ways to encounter the living Jesus.

They’re also about people who rejected Jesus. The innkeeper had a good excuse for turning Jesus away, but he sure missed out on a blessing. Try not to be like that guy. On hearing about the birth of Christ, Herod, the self-seeker, said He wanted to worship Jesus, but His real intent was to kill Him. Don’t be like Herod either!

Church has always seemed to me to be a formalized way to avoid heart-piercing encounter with Christ. On the other hand, Christmas shows us people who were led by God. Organized Christianity seems to be either cerebral, sentimental, or hype driven. Biblical Christianity is Spirit-led. See Romans. 8:14.

Celebrating the birth of Jesus is nothing to take lightly. It’s the most amazing event in world history. The Christmas events shout out the fact that love cares sacrificially even when it disapproves. Read the ignored Christmas Bible verses that declare that Jesus is God: John 1:1-5.

Since I found Jesus, I’ve been so thrilled and captivated by Him that I’ve felt no need to find myself. Jesus asks: “Who do you say that I am?” The most important identity isn’t self-identity. It’s to identify and receive who Jesus really is.

A discouraged society needs more than a sentimental Christian holiday. It needs to see people being joyously led by God’s Spirit.

It’s easy to be led
By the opinions
In your head
Or by the desires
And feelings
That you’ve fed,
But it takes
Courage to be led
By God’s Spirit
Instead.

People like to make Christmas about gifts. People who are being led by God’s Spirit radiate both the fruit and the gifts of the Spirit. See Galatians 5:22 and 1 Corinthians 12. Here are the Ephesians 5 gifts to the body of Christ in everyday language:

• Sent ones,
• Proclaimers for God,
• Salvation sharers,
• Shepherds,
• Disciple makers.

I believe that the calling on people who function in various gifts is to reproduce themselves by training ordinary Christ-followers to also function in those gifts. Merry Christmas! (The best way to a Merry Christmas is to open your life to the Jesus-thrill!)