Why should you come to the “Christmas Changes Everything” concert this Sunday night at 6:00?
Because Christmas really does change everything. You know, I typically try to steer clear of using universal terms like “always” or “never” or “everything” because most of the time this leads to an overt exaggeration of what I am describing. But as I have pondered the weight and significance of Christmas, the use of the word “everything” is in this case perfectly justified. Without Christmas, we are without hope in this world. Without Christmas, we remain hopelessly bound by sin and its consequences. Without a Savior miraculously born to us we remain as those born under the law and in bondage to a standard of holiness that apart from an act of God, would always remain out of reach because of our sin nature. Christmas changed that. Christmas was that act of God that brought God’s gift of salvation to man. With the birth of a baby boy, God ushered into our reality the promise of redemption and forgiveness and son-ship.
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” Galatians 4:4-5
In light of the reality that Christmas changes everything, you should not merely attend the concert Sunday night–you should come as an active participant in the story that is shaping the cosmos! You should come as a worshiper who like me needs consistent reminders of the story that formed you into that worshiper. You should come as someone who is in the midst of a daily battle to allow that Christmas story to transform every aspect of your life. You should come to hear testimonies of believers sharing with all how Christmas has changed their lives. You should come in order to add your voice to those of our choir as we together rejoice in the Savior God provided. And you should come with a whole host of those you have invited to join you because Christmas changes everything—for everyone. Christmas is the fulfillment of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He sent His Son…” Believers and nonbelievers alike need to hear the familiar angelic refrain “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!” because it’s a story for us all. It is the only story of hope for all men everywhere for all time. It’s the Christmas story. And Christmas changes everything.
