THE SETUP
“You better watch out. You better not cry, you better not pout. I'm telling you why. Because I came to town.” – Kris Kringle in Santa Claus is Coming to Town
As a kid growing up, some of my favorite Christmas movies were the old-school animated movies. Not cartoons — the claymation movies like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Jack Frost, the movies that used sculpted characters and stop-motion filming to tell the story.
One of those classics was Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, which is based on the song and tells the “origins” of jolly ol’ Saint Nick. In the movie, kids all over the world are excitedly anticipating what they were waiting for all year long – Santa Claus coming to town. When he finally shows up, it’s even better than they thought it would be!
In the Christmas story recorded in Luke 2, there is an even greater sense of joy at the birth of Jesus. The angel announces that he has come to, “bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” What is the good news? That the Messiah, the one who they had spent centuries waiting for, was born. Advent is Latin for “coming” and the birth of Jesus is the culmination of Advent. We celebrate with joy the birth of Jesus. The feelings of the holiday season will fade in the new year and the dreariness of winter, but the gift of Jesus gives us a joy that lasts year-round.
PASSAGE TO READ
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Can you think of a time when you had to wait a long time for something you really wanted to happen, and then it did? How did you feel when your wishes finally came true?
What do you have to rejoice about this Christmas season?
The angel made an announcement that would bring joy to all people. Who is someone that you can share the joy of Christ’s birth with this Christmas?
PRAYER IDEA
“Lord – thank you for the birth of Jesus and the joy that it brings to those who know him. I ask that you would open doors of opportunity for me to share the Gospel (good news) of Jesus this Advent season. May it bring hope and joy to those who hear it, and may it cause them to put their faith in you. In your name, amen.”