A True And Transforming Story

I'm convinced that one of the reasons I lose my enthusiasm for the gift of Jesus in the gospel is that I have relegated the Story of Jesus to the fiction shelf of the library of my soul.

The Christmas story has become so encrusted with our cultural trappings that we have taken it off of the non-fiction shelf of our hearts and minds where it belongs, and we have put it in the fiction section where it becomes another traditional fairy tale that has no power to change our daily lives . . . except maybe to inspire us to "get in the Christmas spirit," decorate our homes, sing some different songs, and give stuff to people . . . or better yet, expect stuff to be given to us! But those changes only last for a season.

True, it's a story, but it's the True Story. If I love, learn, and live in the true story of Jesus, it will not merely "get me in the Christmas spirit," it will get the transforming Spirit of Christ into me!

The Christmas story, as it is told in the gospel of Jesus Christ which is unfolded in the 66 books of the Bible, is true, and when we receive it by faith it transforms! It is not true for merely a season, and does not transform for merely a season.

So, here's how I want to help me and you unwrap the gospel by getting the Christmas story off of greeting cards, out of holiday TV specials, and plastic front yard manger scenes: I want us to see the Christmas story in 3D this year.

Stay tuned and I'll explain how we'll do that . . .