Dear family and friends,

Christmas is fun! It is amazing to know that here in North America people including many non-Christians celebrate it. It is hard for people to resist partaking in the merry-making, feasting, singing and gift-giving. (Though it is sad to hear a lot complaining that they spent so much money because they have to give gifts to people. I sometimes argue that if you complain in the end because you have to give, why give at all? The blessing of giving is experienced when our motives are right.)

The Bible does not explicitly command us to celebrate Christmas. It is His death and resurrection that we are told to commemorate (1 Cor. 11: 23-25). However, nowhere in Scripture are we forbidden to celebrate Christ’s  birth . Therefore, if we have to celebrate Christmas, let us do so for the right reasons and with the right spirit.

The Christmas story tells us that God became one of us to die for us in the cross. He lived among us. Christmas tells us that God came for us…

Because He came, we can never doubt that God really loves us. 
Because He came, we know that He cares. 
Because He came, we know that God spared nothing, not even His own Son, to bless and save us. 
Because He came, sinners like us who are going to hell can now go to heaven.

And because He came the first time as He promised, we can believe and expect that He will come again because He promised.

That’s the spirit! Not in the food, not in the gifts, not in the decorations… but in the coming of the One. The real One. Jesus.

A blessed Christmas to all!

Because He came,

Pastor Beng Arriola