After Christmas
12/28/2025
So, the gifts have all been exchanged, the presents have been opened, and the garbage bags are full of ribbons and boxes and wrapping paper. We can all now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that we have a full year to prepare for next year. Was this Christmas all it was cracked up to be for you? We all know that Christmas is but one day a year that we specifically celebrate Jesus’ birth, but…
I. What now?
Despite the joy and magic of the holidays, why is it so draining? It seems like everyone needs a break from their Christmas break. Some might have this in their inner monologue, “I decorated the tree, I hung up the lights, I glazed the ham, I baked all the cookies, I gave all the presents - why do I still feel like something is missing?” Christmas time is a time of great joy, but we also know that statistically the number of those who experience sadness or depression goes way up at Christmas time.
There are some legitimate reasons for that - some are remembering loved ones no longer with us, others are dealing with family issues and conflict - and some may simply have had too high of expectations. But my guess is that there are also many who celebrated Christmas without knowing the Christ and are left feeling a bit empty, despite all of the celebration. They can go through all of the motions and never experience the personal peace that comes from knowing Jesus.
In the Old Testament there's a passage of scripture that reminded me of that same spiritual challenge.
Micah 6:6-8 (NIV)
With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? (7) Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? (8) He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Many believing people can make the same mistakes celebrating Christmas as those who don't follow Jesus – focusing so much on the outward acts that we forget the heart of it all. For the believer, we need to celebrate Jesus’ birth year round. We need to remember His death on a cross for us and His resurrection and the promise of eternal life that it brings! We need to live for Jesus all year because…
A. We know the truth!
Those who don’t actually know Jesus can water down His words, ignore His teachings and make up their own way of following some ‘higher power’. They institute ‘religious ways’ of doing things that suit their particular beliefs and preferences, and then exclaim how tolerant they are of everyone’s individual beliefs and practices. It sounds nice, it almost sounds enlightened - but it’s hollow.
We know the truth! We know that Jesus is The Son of God! We know that Jesus is God in the flesh! We know that the Bible is God’s authoritative Word! We know that God loves those who are lost so much that Jesus died on a cross for the sins of the world! We know that Jesus doesn’t just want our religious ‘acts’, but He wants us; all of us. We know the truth, however…
B. How do we live?
Do our actions and attitudes always fit with what we say we believe?
If any of you were out in the stores among all the hustle and bustle of this last week or so – you probably witnessed several things. First, you probably saw those who embraced the spirit of Christmas and were happy and cheerful despite circumstances. I saw some bell ringers for the Salvation Army who, despite the cold, dreary weather were smiling and singing as they rang their bells. I saw cashiers, who despite the long lines were still positive and wished even the grumpiest patrons “Merry Christmas”.
But you may have also witnessed several other things – people fighting over items in the stores, people pushing their way into lines, people driving like maniacs to get through a yellow light or even a red one, people buying presents to celebrate Christmas who were grouchy and selfish and mean.
Now, I’d like to believe that the grouchy, mean people were those who don’t know Jesus, and that the cheerful ones those who do know Jesus – but I’m relatively sure that isn’t always the case. It should be, but it isn’t. We know the truth, but how do we live? Jesus’ words to His disciples from Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)...
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. (15) Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. (16) In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
We're not called to simply do outward ‘religious acts’ for God, but we are called to do good deeds for others so that they may be drawn to God! We're called to use our words to talk to people about Jesus and what He has done in our lives!
Being a Christian is not determined by where your car is parked on a Sunday morning. The world should be able to watch a person for awhile and be able to determine by their words and actions whether they are a Christian or not. We are to be the light of the world, but sometimes we settle for 'lighting up a pew' for an hour or so on a Sunday morning... We are called to something so much larger, and greater and much more significant!
When it comes to those around us in the world, we aren’t any better than any of them, but…
II. We are called to be different
One of the meaningful differences between a Christian and a non-Christian is that one has been forgiven of their sins and the other hasn’t - yet. We are not better, but we are supposed to live differently than the world. Not as a judgment but as a beacon, as a witness. Not in a self righteous way – but as a declaration as to whom we belong.
And being different isn't always fun. Erin and I - we're raising our kids the way we were raised - to not fit in. And that's not easy. Even on a Christian College campus - Josie is learning she doesn't always fit in. That makes it hard for a parent to watch - but it would be harder to watch if my kids were just like every other kid who didn't know about Jesus. Again - not better, but different.
1 John 2:15-17 (NIV)
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. (17) The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
We can’t live exactly like the rest of the world and then still expect to be fully blessed. We can’t live exactly like the rest of the world and then expect to be able to draw others to Jesus. We are called to be different - and those differences should greatly increase as you grow closer to Jesus and the world continues to chase after things that push them farther and farther away from God. We are called to be different…
A. In our values
What's most important to those in the world shouldn’t be most important to us. Our priorities shouldn’t be exactly like the world’s priorities. While the rest of the world is chasing after money and popularity and possessions and sex and success as the world defines it, we need to value things that will last. We need to consistently model those values for our children and our families. Jesus said in John 15:18-19 (NIV)...
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. (19) If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
If no one has ever gotten even a little upset with you because of your religious convictions - you're not doing it right. Jesus was outright hated for His message. If we never have anyone upset with us for speaking truth in love - we're not really spreading the true Gospel message.
We are called to value life created in God’s image. Say that too loud in the wrong place and you won't be very popular. We are to value sex as something sacred, created by God, and intended to be between a man and a woman in the context of marriage. That will definitely not make you popular with the world...
We're to value honesty and integrity. We’re to value love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We are to highly value humility and self sacrifice. We're to greatly value God’s Word and His authority! We are to value Jesus! And that will make us different. And that will make some hate you.
We are also called to be different in...
B. How we treat family
And by ‘family’ I do mean those biologically related to us but more specifically fellow believers. As a Church, we are family – we, along with the millions of other Christians in this world, are family; the body of Christ. We are to be different in the way that we relate to family. We are called to love each other.
John 13:34-35 (NIV)
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (35) By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
We’ve all probably read that dozens of times before – but we’re reading it again because we don’t always do it.
Now, there's no possible way that we can all be ‘best pals’ and do everything together all the time – that’s not what we’re talking about. There’s not even any guarantee that you will like all of your brothers and sisters. Remember - we don’t get to choose our brothers and sisters – we’re related because we have the same Father. But we are called to love one another. In other words, even if we strongly disagree – we're called to love one another.
Even when someone hurts us - accidently, or even in anger – we are still called to love one another. And here’s something – think about it – if some guy you don’t really know says something hurtful, you can brush it off and move on. But when your pain is caused by family – that really hurts; that pain lingers…
And here’s the rub - I don’t like having to love someone who hurt me. I’d much rather carry a grudge and talk bad about them – but that’s what the world does... We are called to be different from the world. We're called to love one another regardless of circumstances or preferences or even mood. We're called to show love to our family so that God, our Father will be glorified!
As God’s children, what we do - how we live, how we treat our brothers and sisters - it all reflects on Him. We're called to be different than the world and to love each other so deeply that those who don’t know God will see something in us to draw them to Him. When we show this unconditional, illogical, selfless, almost impossible love to our family, then people will actually understand what it means to be a Christian.
And one more unpopular thing, we are called to be different in...
C. How we treat enemies
Jesus didn’t want us just to show love to those who love us. Jesus calls us to be ‘even more different’ than the world. He actually said to ‘love our enemies’.
Matthew 5:43-48 (NIV)
You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' (44) But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (45) that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
(46) If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? (47) And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? (48) Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
That’s a tough one. Honestly, I sometimes have a hard enough time loving some of you... :) But now I’m called to love those who wish me harm? Yes, what Jesus is calling us to is hard. Did you catch that last command – ‘be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect’? The only way we can have any hope of doing that, loving our enemies, is through the power of God’s Holy Spirit in us! Without God’s Spirit, loving my enemies is impossible, it’s unnatural!
But remember, those people who oppose us need Jesus, too. Those we might think of as our enemies have been deceived by our true enemy – the Devil. Those we may see as our enemies are really our mission. Jesus charged His disciples in Matthew 10:16 (NIV)...
I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
Some Christians may have that backwards – they’re shrewd as doves and innocent as snakes. In order to win the lost, we have to try to win the lost without becoming like the world. In our dealings with the world, in order to be lights in a dark world, we need to be different in how we relate to everyone - even so far as our own view of ourselves.
Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (4) Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
That’s another passage I come back to frequently and it’s the opposite of what the world teaches, and it's so hard to do! But those of us who know the truth are called to a higher standard. Those of us who understand what Jesus gave up to be born in a manger and then give His life for ours – we are called to be grateful and different than those who don’t know Jesus.
So What?
There are those who are loving and gracious and keep the celebration of the Christ child alive in their hearts all year long. There are those among us whom we would do well to learn from and emulate. And to those who are wearing the name Christian and living righteous lives in a dark world – I say, “Bravo! Keep it up! Keep the faith because there are still so many who don’t know Jesus.”
And to those who wear the name Christian but live exactly like the rest of the world, “Knock it off – you know better.” Trust me – I do understand the calling is hard. Even though I know the truth, there are times when I know the right thing to do but I just don’t feel like it. Fortunately, God doesn’t judge me by my feelings – which I can’t control - but by my actions – which I can control.
So, the 'official' Christmas celebration of the birth of our Lord is over again for another year. But the fact that you are here says to me that you do know the truth about Christmas. Now, how will you choose to live that out? Please don’t let the Christmas celebration end today. Please choose to follow the example of the faithful who have gone before us and follow Jesus with every fiber of your being! If you know you haven’t shown a lot of love to a family member here – make it right, today! Live differently – love differently – and show people Jesus!