The other day at Hillsdale Christian Fellowship (our version of IV), we spent our time talking and singing and praying about Jesus' birth and how best to celebrate it. It was really good to think about. One of the students read from a sermon by George Whitefield, which you should really read all of, but here is a passage from it. It's not very long, so check it out (http://www.reformedreader.org/rbs/whitefield/observation.htm).
Therefore, if we do but consider into what state, and at how great a distance from God we are fallen; how vile our natures were; what a depravity, and how incapable to restore that image of God to our souls, which we lost in our first parents: when I consider these things, my brethren, and that the Lord Jesus Christ came to restore us to that favor with God which we had lost, and that Christ not only came down with an intent to do it, but actually accomplished all that was in his heart towards us; that he raised and brought us into favor with God, that we might find kindness and mercy in his sight; surely this calls for some return of thanks on our part to our dear Redeemer, for this love and kindness to our souls. How just would it have been of him, to have left us in that deplorable state wherein we, by our guilt, had involved ourselves? For God could not, nor can receive any additional good by our salvation; but it was love, mere love; it was free love that brought the Lord Jesus Christ into our world about 1700 years ago. What, shall we not remember the birth of our Jesus? Shall we yearly celebrate the birth of our temporal king, and shall that of the King of kings be quite forgotten? Shall that only, which ought to be had chiefly in remembrance, be quite forgotten? God forbid! No, my dear brethren, let us celebrate and keep this festival of our church, with joy in our hearts: let the birth of a Redeemer, which redeemed us from sin, from wrath, from death, from hell, be always remembered; may this Savior's love never be forgotten! But may we sing forth all his love and glory as long as life shall last here, and through an endless eternity in the world above!
Another thing T. said that was really good was, after summarizing the gospel and how we celebrate the coming into the world of our salvation, was that "all this will mean nothing if we do not treasure Christ more than the world." Amen. I want to rejoice this Christmas with a pure and joyful expectancy and hope of Jesus, and to treasure Him above all else.
