Be One of the Lights

Dear Faith Family,

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes, (1 Corinthians 11:26). 

Pre-lit.  I finally figured out what it means when a Christmas tree is pre-lit.  It means that the lights that came on the tree used to be lit.  This year we decided to get smart (or not) and remove the pre-lit (the ones that used to light up) lights from the Christmas tree.  Do you know how many little, angry, plastic clips there are holding on to the previously lit lights?  Me either.  I stopped counting somewhere around 1358 clips (Ok maybe I didn’t count but there was a pile of them!).  I don’t recommend taking them off the tree after dark.  Those little plastic clips have teeth.  And yes, they bite! 

No matter.  Clips removed.  Pre-lit lights are now pre-tree lights.  The new-lit (not pre-lit) lights have now been installed (without clips!) on our tree.  There are hundreds of lights lighting up our Christmas tree!  No, I’m not kidding!  Hundreds.  You’ve probably seen the lights from your house.  You can’t help but see our tree.  Let’s just say that it is being proclaimed out of our front window. 

It is a reminder of the original Christmas tree.  You know, the cross.  It really accentuates the birth of Jesus.  He was born to die.  He was born to set us free.  He was born to pay in full the debt of our sin, namely death.  Paul reminded us that one of the purposes in celebrating The Lord’s Supper together is to proclaim the Lord’s death until He returns.  Communion lights up the original Christmas tree – the cross. 

Ready for a question?  How does your life light up the cross?  The Lord’s Supper is an opportunity to turn the lights on our Messiah.  This is a great time of year to speak words of encouragement (another opportunity to turn the lights on our Messiah) to people caught up in the chaos that we call the holiday season.  Be one of the lights.  Ask your waiter / waitress (another opportunity to turn the lights on our Messiah) if they know what Christmas is all about.  Be one of the lights.  Ask your delivery driver (you got it – yet one more opportunity to turn the light on our Messiah) how you can pray for them.  Be one of the lights. 

I don't want to be a pre-lit light this Christmas. You?

Pastor Karl