What Do You Want Most for Christmas?

Meditations for the Season of Advent 

December 13, 2022

What Do You Want Most for Christmas?

They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,

and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

John 12:21 (NRSV) 

How do you think people would respond if you were to stop them as they walked down the sidewalk and ask, “What do you want most for Christmas?” Or what if you were in your Sunday School class, or small group and asked that question, what kind of answers do you think you would receive?

Several years ago, I conducted a similar experiment during a worship service. Each person in the congregation was given a 3x5 card. I asked them to think of the young people in their lives, those less than twenty-one years old, and list on the card the two or three things they hoped for the most in their lives. Not surprisingly, the answers primarily centered on the ideas of health and happiness, described in varying terms. What was surprising to me was what was not included on any of the cards. No one mentioned, ‘To know Christ,’ or something similar. Not one hoped their young person would choose to go to a Christian college, enter full-time Christian service as a minister or missionary or related field.

Jesus’ response to those people who wanted to see him included, “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be” (John 12:26). And we all know Jesus final command to his followers: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28:19). Even so, not one person listed on their 3x5 card anything remotely connected to Jesus’ Great Commission.

I suppose that it is possible that people assume that you know the thing they hope most for, and want most for the people they love, is to know Jesus and to live in such a way that they will hear their Master say, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.’ Possible, maybe, but I don’t think it is too probable. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel once said, “God is of no importance unless He is of supreme importance.” I think we can very well say the same for Jesus Christ.

My Takeaway: Jesus commands us to make disciples -- fully-devoted followers of Jesus. I believe as we fully embrace this mission, all the priorities in our life will align with God’s will.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.