Are you prepared for Christmas?

I mentioned yesterday in General Chat that I had finished with my Christmas shopping. I have also finished the decorating and baking. Does that mean I'm prepared for Christmas? We can't live in the United States and not realize that Christmas is drawing near. Every channel on the tv has Christmas movies and commercials. Every store urges you to shop with them for your Christmas gifts and goodies. Even the internet is covered with reminders to get prepared, Christmas is almost here.

But how prepared are we really? How prepared were the people for that very first Christmas?

Just like us, people had signs all over the place to tell them that Christmas was drawing near. The prophets had predicted a coming Savior, the Messiah, who would be born of a virgin, from the ancestral line of David, born in Bethlehem – all Jews, even the marginally religious – had known such things from the time they were toddlers.

And yet on the eve of the very first Christmas business pretty much went along as usual for most. People came home from work and cleaned up for dinner. Children played in the dusty streets until time for bed. Spouses rolled over and gave good night kisses before turning out the light. Ho-hum, life goes on.

Well, life goes on as normal, except for that bothersome census. You know, the one that Ceasar demanded. That brings us to a young couple, who traveled to a town called Bethlehem in order to fulfill their requirements in regards to the census. You know the couple, the ones who gave birth in a stable and laid the baby in the manger.

Who knew? Apparently not too many folks were prepared. An angel woke up some shepherds to tell them news.
Some wise men were intrigued by a strange star and followed it.
But apart from these unlikely guests at the manger, no one else really seemed to notice Christmas. They didn't notice that Jesus came, and though many had been waiting for him, few noticed his arrival.

They missed the first Christmas, and it may have been easy to miss, but what about all of the Christmases since then? Jesus is coming again, are we more prepared than those in that little town of Bethlehem?

And Jesus said he’s coming again. Revelation 22. He said it’s soon.

Behold, I am coming soon! (Revelation 22:7, 12)

Yes, I am coming soon! (Revelation 22:20)

Have we done more to prepare for this past event than those yet to come? In other words do our efforts to observe and remember his first coming surpass our attention to the details of being ready for Him to come again?

Most of us prepare better for Christmas than we do for the second coming. After all, we grew up with certain traditions. The perfect Christmas tree, the gifts, the parties, the stockings hung by the chimney with care. Even if we're not ready for Christmas, it's still going to come.

Many of us are very watchful during Christmas time, looking for all those wonderful sales. With the economy like it is, and then the huge blizzard in the northeast, we can find all kinds of wonderful sales going on. We just have to watch for them. Yet how many of us are as watchful for Jesus' return?

Jesus said, that to be ready for him to come again, this is also what we should do…

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. (Matthew 24:42)

There's an old Christmas song that goes, "You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout I'm tellin you why, Santa Claus is coming to town." Kids are told to be on their best behaviour because Santa Claus is coming. If they aren't good they'll get lumps of coal in their stockings.

Yet seldom do we hear kids being taught, Jesus is coming to town. And if we aren't right with Him we'll get more than coal in our stockings.

Are you prepared?

Our sermon on Sunday morning was on this theme.. waiting and watchfulness... a good reminder!