Every year at this time, it feels like time speeds up. We finish our annual trunk or treat, and all of a sudden, it's Christmas Eve. We all get wrapped up in the excitement of the holidays—friends, family, food, and lots of it. But can I be honest with you for a second? As a worship pastor, I really struggle through these weeks every year. Not because I don't love Christmas time; I do! But because I fear, year after year, we lose ourselves in the novelty and nostalgia of the holiday and forget all about who we are singing to and why we even celebrate to begin with.
If you have been in our 10:04 service over the last few years, you have probably heard me say something to the effect of "the point of Christmas is Easter." We celebrate the birth of Christ because of what He did on the cross. Without this very specific fact, Christmas is just another holiday. Let me explain. As Christians, what separates us from other faiths is the promise of eternity with Jesus, the only one in history to have very literally conquered death. He offers this same promise of resurrection to all those who will "take up their cross and follow Him." (Luke 9:23) When we look at other religions and faiths all over the world, this truth sets us apart. The founding figures in any other belief system have birth stories; only Jesus has a true resurrection story. This isn't to say we shouldn't celebrate the birth of our Savior, but my fear is that year after year, we get so caught up in the tradition of Christmas that we neglect true worship during this season. When we are able to keep the cross and the good news of the gospel as the focal point, it changes how we experience this season.
Over the years, I have tried to the best of my ability to be conscious of this—to bring and lead others in worship that finds the tension between what is familiar while challenging us to remember the "why" behind the season. This is the heartbeat of our 10:04 worship: to help others discover and deepen their relationship with Jesus through genuine worship In spirit and truth.
Please don't mishear me: tradition can be a good thing, nostalgia can be a good thing. They can be the anchors that hold us to our spiritual Ebenezers, the markers through our lives that remind us how far God has brought us (1 Samuel 7:12). But if we aren't careful, they can also be the idols that prevent us from truly experiencing the Savior of the world during this season, from giving all of our worship to the only King who is worthy. If we aren't careful, we may find ourselves worshiping at the throne of nostalgia rather than at the throne of the one true King of Kings.
So here is my challenge as we enter the season of Advent:
Take time to remember the "why," no matter the song or reading, whether new or familiar. Posture your head, heart, and hands to the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, the Savior of the World. Take up your cross and follow Him.
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