Lessons from the Heart
It’s only part of the story
By Pastor Jeff Tomson

Tomson

Christians worldwide mark the calendar with certain important dates. For the most part; Christians from the Western tradition celebrate Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter at the same time worldwide. We could get caught up in debates as to how we should celebrate these occasions but that rarely is spiritual. To rant and rave about the commercialization of the Christmas season really does little good because most Christians realize that it is taking place and that they have some part in that trend, yet we don’t change much about our behavior.

So what is a pastor to write about during this season that is fresh and new? How about the cross and the empty tomb? It is not fresh or new, but maybe it is a different take on the season. You might ask why I would go that direction during this time when we look at the nativity. Well, it is quite simple actually; I can’t personally separate these events into seasons away from the context of the other seasons. They are a whole story that remains connected.

Pastor Scott Gamel spoke last spring at the Flora Community Good Friday service (by the way we missed seeing many of you there), and I recall him stating that he knew he was to be preaching about the cross. However, he felt compelled to speak about the Empty Tomb because one meant nothing without the other. That is how I see Christmas, it is part of the story and empty somehow if it is removed from the events of Passion Week.

For the virgin birth to have power it must be looked at with the backdrop of God’s unwavering love for you and me which takes this child (that we celebrate) to the cross for sin, and then to the right hand of the Father. We like to feel good about this season and guilty about Good Friday, and victorious on Easter; but maybe we should step back and just be in awe and feel loved because of all that it cost the Father and the Son so that we can celebrate at all.

I wish you and your loved ones a holy holiday, and blessed fellowship this holiday season.

Jeff Tomson is pastor at Living Faith Church of theBrethren.

Pray for our nation to seek God

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:6 Pd. Adv.