Christmas is the only Christian season that is also a major secular holiday. Easter doesn’t quite compare. This provides an opportunity and a challenge to us. As our commercial and political world attempts to sanitize Christmas of its religious themes, we are in danger of losing the radical statement God makes at Christmas by coming into our world as a baby. It is easy to let Santa and the gift giving to dominate our observance of Christ’s birth.

At the same time, it provides an opportunity for us to witness to a world that still listens to songs like Hark, the Herald Angels Sing that includes a lyric like “born to give us second birth.”  We would do well to be able to articulate what these hidden symbols means.

I hope this Advent series will deepen your appreciation of what God has done through the Incarnation and also equip you to communicate to your children and grandchildren the true meaning of Christmas. Here is a quick look at what we will cover each Sunday in Advent:

December 2 People Walking in Darkness, where will our Christmas light come?

December 9 The Mothers of Jesus, why are women so prominent in the Christmas story?

December 16 Unsung Hero, Joseph accepted the wild adventure of following God.

December 23 Facing Our Inner Herod, a genocide in the Christmas story? Really?

Christmas Eve Treasuring & Pondering, good news from shepherds? Something to ponder.

Be sure to get your Advent Prayer card and/or download the Noblesville First app so you can receive the push notification reminders to pray every day during the season of Advent!

Your servant in Christ,

Jerry Rairdon