Merry Christmas! Dan gave us the Holiday theme for this edition of Thursday doors, and I thought I would do Christmas for my holiday of choice. It wasn’t an easy decision. Kwanza ran a close second (tongue in cheek).

The real reason to celebrate Christmas is the reminder of the Advent of Christ. The word advent means the coming or arrival of something important. I know of one pastor that has made the case for the actual beginning of creation as the first advent. In other words, when Christ spoke those words “let their be light” this was the actual first advent of Christ.

We know that He is the One who spoke from passages like John 1:1-4, and Colossians 1:16. In both passages, we discover Christ’s role in creation. The Father decrees. The Son Speaks. The Spirit moves.

This Triune activity is reflected in our own salvation. The Father decrees the elect before the foundations of the world. The Son speaks to us, calling us to be His. The Spirit moves in our heart, giving us the ability, will, and desire to believe in Him for salvation. When this takes place, we have experienced another advent of Christ. He came to us, spoke to us (usually through the means of a fallen-human preacher proclaiming the word of God), and we respond in faith because we are the sheep of His pasture.

Yet, the advent we celebrate now is more grand because it reminds us that the One who spoke in the beginning, actually came and dwelt among us. He took on human flesh. He humbled Himself, laying aside His glory and the glory of heaven, to come and redeem those whom the Father elected. How wonderful. Our Creator came to redeem us.

This is why Christmas is to be celebrated. It is a time of joy. Our Creator didn’t leave us to our own devices, but came to redeem us, set up His kingdom and rule over all that He has made. Let us trust in the King of kings, the LORD of lords, the One who spoke in the beginning and spoke to us again during His earthly ministry, and spoke to us again to make us His own. With this in view, we can truly say, Merry Christmas!

Here is my submission for Dan’s Thursday Doors Holiday Edition.

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Not necessarily a Christmas theme, but a really neat sign.

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Christmas without toy trains? Not possible.

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For some, all you need is that one Christmas decoration to make it complete.

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The Christmas pulpit.

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Happy St. Nicholas.

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All photos are copyright © Timothy J. Hammons, 20201.