Have you ever noticed that some things we take for granted are missed by other people? As a pastor I have to guard against that when I’m preaching. I was raised by a godly mother who always wanted to be a missionary. She was! She had 4 sons. 🙂 An important verse to her was 2 John 4: “I have no greater pleasure than to know my children walk in truth.” (True that was not referring to physical children of a mother, but she adopted that verse to declare her feelings). So having been raised in the church and being a pastor for 50+ years and walking with Jesus for 62 of my 70 years, it is easy to forget some don’t have that luxury of knowing the story of Jesus as I do.
So when I am preaching I have to be careful of excluding some, of assuming they know “the story” and what I am talking about. Tragic mistake to make.
I think we can get that way about the Christmas story, especially in our post-Christian culture. It is easy to assume the “Charlie Brown Christmas” would have the same effect on a cynical Gen Z-er as it did on this Boomer. It doesn’t. I read of a child who was asked who Jesus was. His answer: “He was the one who took from the rich and gave to the poor.” A legendary Robin Hood!
We know He is more than that. He is the God-man; born of a virgin; took on human flesh; went to a cross where He died as a sinless replacement for us; rose bodily from the grave; ascended into heaven where He sits at the right of the Father awaiting the word to return.
I can assume people know that. They don’t. I can also assume they know the Christmas story. They don’t. Heard it? Possibly. Know it? Probably not.
Romans 10: 14 says, “And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are the to hear without someone preaching (telling them)?” Let’s not assume they know the Christmas story. Let’s make sure they do-lovingly, convincingly, and gently. But let’s make sure they at least have heard!
Totally agree with you Bill. Would love to discuss with you sometime, how do you get the story of Christmas acrossed with someone who does not want to hear about Jesus at all. Still in a loving and truthful way, still say something that plants some soft positive seeds in a extroidary hard soil. You may only have less than two minutes to say it in? What do you say to still glorify Christ, but not make that person’s heart even harder than it already is.
I would love to sit down and talk with you about that Gail. I feel for you. I don’t know how many times I tried talking to my dad about his soul and he always changed the subject. Not belligerently but I got nowhere. I can say this right off the bat: pray and pray some more for a soft hear to develop. But let’s talk some day.
Thanks for reminding us here, Bill, that we can’t assume what others know and what they don’t. There are way too many souls out there who know nothing about the real meaning of Christmas, and we should be ready to share the true story with them gently and patiently. Most of all, we need to continue to pray for those lost souls.
Blessings!
You said it well Martha. I do agree with you also that we need to pray for those who are lost and have no clue about Jesus and what He offers.