Friday, December 11, 2009

RE: Life in Perspective

Here it is.  I wrote it rather quickly as I am running out of time today.  Please excuse any bad grammar or misspellings.  Have a blessed weekend!
 

This is going to sound redundant and over done today, but I feel as though I must speak on this. 

      There would be no Christmas without Christ, yet every year Christian churches around the world are seeing less and less people on Christmas Eve. 

Don't even get me started on Christmas day around the Warrenton area.  It is as if Christmas is already over on Christmas Day. 

             What has happened?  Has Christ become less important?  Yes.  Has Christmas become more materialistic?  Yes. Do Christians have a bigger job to do today than ever?  YES.

            The thing is that it's not about guilting people into getting back into church or to start going in the first place.  It is about sharing the LOVE of Christ with them.  Here's an example, if someone invites you to go to come to their house for a party are you more likely to do it if you are nice to them and show concern and love for them or if they are mean spirited and make you feel guilty? 

            It only makes sense that people will want to come to church if there is someone there who cares about them, loves them, and wants them to be there.  It is just common sense.  Likewise if there is someone in your life that you want to see come to church with you or someone who needs to hear about Jesus, are they more likely to listen to you if you are constantly berating them and calling them a sinner or if you are showing love and genuine concern for them?

            I think the church and people in the church have made a few mistakes in this area.  Usually when people quit going to church or never enter the doors in the first place it is because of something going on in their life.  Something is keeping them from going to hear God's Word and receive His gifts.  It could be some sort of relationship problem.  It could be money issues.  It cold be here is a particular sin in a person's life that is taking over and keeping him or her from God. 

            Whatever it might be, we as Christians, need to recognize that the last thing that these people are going to respond to is our accusations, our ridicule, and our judgment.  On the other hand, they will respond to our love, even more than that, Christ's love.  The Apostle Paul put it best in his letter to the Corinthians chapter 13. Love (Christ's love) is patient and kind, love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.  It does not insist on its own way;  It is not irritable or resentful; It does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 

            Usually when we hear these words we say, "I sure wish I was loved like that."  Or, "yeah, that's the kind of love I want."  Really?  I have been told quite often that you get what you give. 

            Do you want people to know the love of Christ?  Then love them with His love.  Don't love them with a selfish, earthly kind of love but with a selfless, forgiving love that loves unconditionally and for God's purposes and not one's own. 

            The best Christmas gift you can give someone this year costs you nothing, but cost Jesus His very life.  Give someone the gift of forgiveness and eternal life this Holiday Season.  Give them the love of Jesus!

            Tonight at St. John's at 7pm our preschool children will be sharing that love by telling us all about the Christmas ABCs.  Then this Sunday evening our Sunday school children will be re-enacting the "Manger Seen"  Then Christmas Eve we will celebrate the birth of Christ with a  wide variety of carols and music at 7pm and 11pm.  Then on Christmas Day we will enjoy the beauty of Christmas morning as we hear more about Christ's birth, sing some more songs, and just bask in the glory of Christ. 

            Please join us and know that you are always welcomed and loved at St. John's no matter who you are. 

 

Subject: Life in Perspective
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:45:50 -0600
From: JQuagliata@yourjournal.com
To: revklaus@hotmail.com

 
Good afternoon Jeremy,
 
Just e-mailing to see if you have a newspaper column to submit today. Hope your week is going well!
 
 
 
Jamie Quagliata
Community content editor
Suburban Journals of St. Charles County and Warrenton
636-946-6111, ext. 267
636-946-0086 fax
 
Want to subscribe to the Journal? Call 1-888-755-2879
 


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