May the joy of knowing and following this risen Lord Jesus Christ be yours this Christmas.
PASTOR JON BARTA
Valley Baptist Church
Burbank
My knee-jerk wish would be that the jolly red Saint do as his ancient legend had him, and toss a bag of currency down a chimney to aid a poor man and his family. Specifically (this time around) the smokestack of the agency that holds the note on my student loans, with an attachment instructing the bank president to pay off my account!
Now that would be a special Christmas gift for me.
On the other hand, the occupation for which that educational debt accrued has provided me the opportunity to fulfill a long-standing wish to better know ultimate truth and to share and champion that transforming knowledge for the sake of Jesus Christ (the absolute focus of all Christmas festivities).
It's His entrance into the world that matters most at this time, and it's allegiance to him that matters always.
It would be my wish that Christians recognize the spiritual war that is raging against the very notion of celebrating the birth of this one-and-only God-man, and make every moment count toward the defense of the Faith throughout the following months till this time again arrives. Perhaps our slack witness has brought us to this precarious place where we and our Christmas Gospel are becoming dispensable in the mind of our lukewarm nation.
I wish for people to know that because of sin, the Kris Kringle ("Christ Child" from the German, believe it or not) came to save, if only individuals would wisely receive him like those who followed his star did two millennia ago.
On my immediate list, I would wish that my readers join with me tomorrow at Light On The Corner, and celebrate the Savior's birth at our 10:45 a.m. worship service.
Better yet, everyone come between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. and I'll personally cook you a Christmas breakfast beforehand!
Merry Christ-mas to all!
THE REV. BRYAN GRIEM
Senior Pastor
Light On The Corner
Montrose
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