We rush the seasons, there’s Halloween candy in August, Christmas merchandise in October, and deep discounts to get rid of all of “it” from stores before we have even opened half the gifts we paid full price for (and probably don’t need anyway). 

We need Jesus SHINE over a new bottle of wine.

There’s a good chance that we ALSO often rush in saying: “Merry Christmas” both without thinking fully WHY we are wishing it, and rushing our PRONUNCIATION so much that we say “Merry Chrissssmas”. We skip the T. Well, we don’t need to include the “t” from a pronunciation perspective just because, but because it is a lowercase letter “t” REPRESENTS the symbol of the CROSS. Say the t in Chris”t”mas. Christ-mas, a celebration of Christ.

With Jesus entering the world, He knew and predicting prophets fortold that there was one important Way to accomplish God’s Will: death on the cross, a Savior rising after being slaughtered as an innocent lamb.

* Say the “t” in Christmas. 

* “Keep Christ in Christmas” can be reWORDed as an OPPORTUNITY rather than a scolding, to say: “SHARE Christ at Christmas”. 

* Saying Christ reminds us to believe and teach the Way: that Jesus is the Christ, the anointed One. Fully God, Jesus came humbled as a baby, humbled as a human, to fulfill the prophecy and die for our sins and be RISEN for our forever eternal life with God on Heaven.

* “Keeping Good Friday in Christmas” completes the mission: Jesus said “it is finished”. The word “It” is an “I” and a cross “t”. Jesus knew: I must go to the cross. We also are to pick up our crosses and die to ourselves and our wishes to follow Him more and more closely. “I” cross.

* “Keeping Easter in your Christmas” remembers the Merry joyfullness, understanding that on the third day Jesus rose again. Jesus rose for God’s sake, because He loves us eternally longer and immensely more than we could ever realize. 

Let’s keep this “t” in our Christmas this year, and SHINE Christ from our hearts EVERYDAY and FOREVER. 

AMEN