What does every Christmas movie plot have in common? Saving Christmas.
Whether it’s Home Alone, It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf or The Santa Clause, Christmas needs saving! Maybe there isn’t enough Christmas spirit to power Santa’s sleigh, or maybe all the presents have been stolen and need returning before the kids wake up.
Somehow the mess needs sorting out, Hans Gruber needs throwing off a skyscraper, or the true ‘meaning’ needs discovering, just in time for Christmas Day. The point is, Christmas is under threat and it needs saving.
Can you save your Christmas? We all hope for a ‘perfect Christmas’, but when did you ever have one of those? Maybe the presents disappoint, the dinner burns, the annoying uncle shows up, the children argue, or the train is cancelled.
Christmas seems so fragile when it depends on so many things harmoniously coming together all at once. Perhaps you’re getting anxious just thinking about it!
Christmas doesn’t need saving, Christmas saves us!
However, I have something wonderful to tell you: Christmas doesn’t need saving, Christmas saves us!
Life is a terrible mess, isn’t it? Our world is ripping itself apart: hatred and violence abound and we are terrified for the future. That’s just ‘out there’ though; what about ‘in here’ – in our own hearts and lives?
Full of fear, regret, and pain; we are self-destructive and
self-sabotaging. Even to the people we love most in the world: these are the ones we sometimes treat the worst! What is wrong with us? We can’t even keep ourselves in check, let alone Christmas!
But here is the ‘good news of great joy’ that the angels sang to humble shepherds that first Christmas night:
“Don’t be afraid! … a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”
This is not a message about what we hope Christmas will be, but about what Christmas is already! That first Christmas, God himself finally stepped into our world, into our mess; to come alongside us, not to condemn or judge, but as Jesus our brother.
As unworthy as we are, he came to live with us, love us, and even die for us. In his death, all our evil is dealt with. Then, he rose again, so that he can raise us up with him too – into a new and glorious life. Even death itself has been vanquished!
Now, all we need is to look to Jesus – to trust in him; to surrender to him so that he can remake us and fill us with his life. Isn’t this the salvation you want?
Christmas doesn’t need saving – we do. This is what Christmas is truly all about!
Dan Dwelly, Pastor