Kingdom Kids Family Christmas 2022

Welcome to this year’s family Christmas.  You all have fond memories like graduating from school, getting married, your first real job or maybe, if you’re like me growing up, you probably have some fond memories of the times you were in a Christmas service just like this.  I remember like it was yesterday at Gethsemane in OKC sitting on my little chair in front of the congregation singing and reciting my Christmas story lines.

You also have memories that pop up from pictures you have taken over the years.  If your phone is like mine, those pictures pop up and you get to re-live those moments, those great experiences, some that you may have already forgotten.  Amazing how our brain works, isn’t it?  Imagine all the information that is stored up there and comes to mind when you see those pictures, but you may very well never think of again if it wasn’t for those pictures.

 Without the aid of an iPhone 14 or digital camera, Mary had to rely solely on her memory to preserve the extraordinary events of her trip to Bethlehem. While every word in the Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit, Luke began his gospel like this:

“Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, ² just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. ³ With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴ so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught”

Luke 1:1-4

It is generally accepted that Luke also used Mary’s memories and be inspired by the Holy Spirit to write the familiar Christmas story we have in Luke’s gospel today.

For us, then, the Bible has become our “picture book” or “scrapbook.” That means every time we read the Bible the Holy Spirit uses these accounts to strengthen our faith in the Lord.  For instance the account of Adonijah and Abishag.  Do you know it?  Adonijah tried to get the throne after King David.  He requested one of King David’s concubines named Abishag (as a way to get the throne).  He requested her from Bathsheba, who in turn asked Solomon.  Hearing this, King Solomon had his brother killed.  It’s a horrible story, but we see God working through their evil deeds to carry out his plan to send our Savior.  They remind us how desperately we all need a Savior.  Our collection of biblical snapshots transport us back over 2000 years ago to that old, old account of Jesus and his love.  We need to “see these pictures” often because we all too often forget all God has done for us!  Each time we revisit a gospel account from long something miraculous happens.  Our hearts hear the law of God—how God demands perfection from every person without lying, stealing, angry thoughts, disrespect of authority, holding God’s Word as a top priority in our lives, and putting God above everything else in this life.  We hear this law and come to realize that is God’s expectation of us, and we desperately need a Savior.  Then comes the pictures of the gospel—Jesus’ perfect life for us, his offering his life on the cross to wash away our sins, and his saving the world from eternal punishment in hell.  Those Gospel pictures fill our hearts with wonderful memories of God’s love for us. 

There is another really awesome part about God’s scrapbook.  Every time we re-visit the story God allows us to see the events in new and different ways. God shows us these pictures of Jesus to learn more about God’s love for us, his mercy on us, his declaring every person in the world not guilty for their sins for Jesus’ sake, and his taking to heaven everyone who believes in Jesus.  This is what puts such joy in our hearts Reminiscing God’s amazing love for us.

“¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” 

Luke 2:19

Today, like Mary, as our Kingdom Kids and our Families retell the account of Jesus’ birth, open up your hearts and look at the memories that are in there in a fresh new way.  Today, may your hearts be filled with Joy! Joy! Joy! As you kneel beside the manger and marvel that Jesus our Savior is born!   Amen!