If you haven't already noticed, open your eyes and pay attention next time you walk into Home Depot, Lowes, or Walmart. It may be October 15th, but Christmas marketing and sales are in full swing! Furthermore, love 'em or hate 'em, "Christmas in October" sales get results! The Wall Street Journal reports that 40% of shoppers start in October. Can you believe it? Maybe you can? Maybe you have your tinsel on the tree already?
What does this mean for the church? I used to have a professor in college who opened every class with the greeting "Merry Christmas!" Regardless of the date on the calendar. Why? Because he believed that we should be Christmas people all year long. We should be completely overwhelmed by the Story of Christmas. Now, before you go out this afternoon and add the holiday wreathe to the grill on the front of your Jeep only because "Pastor Milo told me too," let me remind you about the epic story God is writing for us.
In the beginning God created... everything. The sun, moon, stars, plants, animals, you and me. He created the human race to be in eternal relationship with Himself. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, that relationship with humankind was broken forever. We were unable to repair it no matter what we tried. And we tried everything... But then God... Our Heavenly Father enacted the most wonderful rescue plan ever! He sent his sinless and pure son, Jesus, into our world to make a way back to himself. This began at Christmas, continued at the cross, and because of God's great love for us, he pursues humankind still today, more than 2000 years later!
You matter. You belong. You can make a difference. We believe we have the greatest story of all time to share! I'll take it even further to say this; we believe we have the greatest story of all time to share, and we believe that if we share it with you, you can make a difference. You may be a person of influence, or you may be a person who doesn't seem have a platform, or even worse, you may be a person who has lost all credibility because of some of the choices you have made. But when I read the Bible, I read story after story of regular, everyday people that God used to make a difference.
You better get used to it. It's Christmas in October!
Pastor Milo
@milowilson
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