“How do you think the shepherds felt that night”, I asked Tracy. Before she had the chance to say anything I was already in an imaginary world, picturing the exuberance and the overwhelming feelings of total joy those men must have felt as they heard, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests”.

“The Bible says they were terrified”, Tracy said. My wife was right. I was a little disappointed. In my imaginary world, I wanted the shepherds to be excited, thrilled and filled with overwhelming feelings of peace and joy. Music is supposed to make you feel better, isn’t it?  Most likely, the shepherds, shocked by the appearance of the angels, needed some time to sort through what just happened. But hold on, the Bible does tell us that these men glorified and praised God. What a joy to know that a Savior has been born to us! (Luke 2:11)

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Life is full of waiting. We wait to grow up, to finish school and earn our first money. We wait for a companion and then we wait to have children and then grandchildren. Toward the end of life, we wait… well to die.

Christmas is about kindness and gentleness. Think of Joseph, the man who was engaged to Mary, a young teenage girl. He found out that Mary was pregnant right after they were engaged. Joseph had a dilemma; he was being squeezed. The bible tells us he was a righteous man and he did not want to expose Mary to public disgrace. In my opinion, Joseph was a gentleman. That period in their lives was tumultuous. Both Mary and Joseph had to face some significant feelings. The realm of emotions is very sensitive. Therefore, we must deal with them kindly and gently.

The concept of peace is part of the Christmas as well. These days, people are scared to death of life. We imagine all kinds of sad and scary scenarios. Yet, the message of Heaven is “Fear Not”. God has come and He brought a message of peace not war and doom. The child we celebrate at Christmas came to bring a message of love. In love, there is no fear.

Christmas is also about a promise come true. God has promised a Savior and He kept His promise. What child does not get all excited when his father makes him a promise? At Christmas, we are reminded of a good Heavenly Father who not only gave us promises, but who is capable to fulfill them. He promised He would never leave us or forsake us. We are also promised enough grace for each day. God has promised to be with us to the end of the days.

Christmas is all about perfect timing. God has come at the right time. Rushing is not wise and most of the time it ruins everything. As Spurgeon said, “redemption’s work could not have been so wisely accomplished at the gates of the garden of Eden as on Calvary”.

Christmas is also about opposition. In the Gospel of Matthew, we read that Herod was disturbed and very uncomfortable by the birth of the King of the Jews. Not everyone received Jesus with joy and singing. In fact, blood was shed in hopes the Christ would be killed in his infancy.

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In our days when the word ‘dialog’ and ‘ecumenism’ are thrown left and right, you are required to avoid talking about total absolutes. To say that Jesus Christ is God and The Only Way to God and Salvation irritates many. In the opinion of some revisionists, such claims will close the door to dialog between Christianity and other religions. Christ’s claims are unacceptable to many. We are told we cannot be exclusive. It is politically incorrect to say that everyone who doesn’t accept Jesus Christ and the truth He reveals about God is wrong and they do not have the truth.

Not long ago I heard the military chaplains weren’t allowed to pray in the Name of Jesus Christ. How can this be in a nation built on Christian foundation?

The coming of Jesus in our world transformed the way we view God and life itself. Jesus defines the shape of a life that is pleasing to God. He speaks absolute truth. Wow! That is overwhelming and awesome at the same time. If we take it seriously and implement the truth in our lives, it will be rewarding. With the coming of Christ in the world we don’t have to walk in the darkness anymore, He brought us light. Jesus is the light that shines in the world. (Isaiah 9:2-7)

From the beginning of the world, man had to decide between God and other gods. Repeatedly, God is calling Israel to forsake the false gods and choose Him as the only true God. It was always a struggle and later on it because a matter of life and death. During the Roman Empire Christians were martyred because they choose Jesus exclusively over the gods of the empire. The early church was very meticulous about the names they used for God and Jesus. “They refused to address the emperor as “lord” (kyrios), clearly on account of their belief that this term was appropriate to God alone.”[1]

Christianity faced opposition from the Jewish belief system, according to which God is one. (Deut. 6:4-6) Claiming that Jesus was one with God was simply unacceptable. Yet, by faith and through God’s grace some have believed this truth.

The bottom line is Jesus cannot be mixed with anything else. It’s either Jesus alone or nothing.

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To me it was the strangest thing ever. Why would anyone carry rocks in their pockets? Why would anyone carry unnecessary weight?

In a way we are not all that different from this man. We are also carrying “stones,” not in our pockets but in our hearts. Some of what we bear may be heavier than stones. Pain, betrayal, loneliness, abuse, and divorce are some of the weightiest burdens people carry on their shoulders. Now this is not silly at all. It is tragic!

The man with stones in his pockets was able to unload the burden whenever he chose to, but the “stones” that dwell in the heart aren’t easily removed. Some of the burdens have been carried for so long that they have become part of us.

You may be at the point of giving up. You may have tried to move the stone off of your heart but have been unsuccessful.

Who then can move those stones that lay heavy on the heart? Max Lucado has a great title for one of his books, He Still Moves Stones, and HE does. Jesus Christ is able to remove the stone from your heart. Will you let Him? Let Jesus move the stone of sin and unrighteousness so that you can come to life this Easter.

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