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A Very Merry Christmas Update!

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:5-11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Hello, readers! It has been far too long. Have no fear, the school semester is over, and so are the holidays; I am back to regular posting.

Originally, I had the grand plan to write about ways to prepare our hearts for sharing the Gospel with unbeliever family members this Christmas season. However, Christmas came and went very quickly, so you all just might have to wait until next year for that one.

Instead, I would like to share with you a short and simple update of how I have seen the Gospel being shared (and shared it ourselves) during this Christmas season.

To start, the Lord has given me plenty of wonderful opportunities to share the Gospel at my work– both with children and adults. The most notable instance was that I had the privilege of telling a class about the true meaning of Christmas, sharing the Law and the Gospel. It amazes me how un-offended little children are when their sin comes to light.

Their main reaction was, “You mean Jesus is older than Santa?!?!?!” I think this is pretty telling about our culture and where the emphasis is placed during the holidays. During Christmas time, it seems as though Santa has taken the place of Our Awesome God.

Despite this, going off of reactions, I can say with some confidence that the Gospel has made some boys think. This includes the 5-yo I wrote about earlier this year! I am praising God for the opportunities I have had with this child. Please join me in praying for this class that I have, by the grace of God, been able to share the Gospel with.

On Christmas Eve, we went over to see some of Zach’s family. Although they all profess to be Christians, Zach and I had made the decisive effort to bring up eternal things during family gatherings some time ago. It was a joy to be able to see that in action, with Zach asking his family members what the meaning of Christmas was. It was surprising to hear some say things like “being kind and charitable to others,” or “giving”. Zach then was able to talk about the Incarnation, although it was only for a short time.

We then went to our Christmas Eve service at church, and it was a great blessing to us since both of our parents came. My parents are unbelievers, so it was especially nerve wracking for me. The Gospel was proclaimed in full there by our elders, and I am so thankful to be able to be a part of a church that shares the Gospel every time an elder enters the pulpit. My family, quite surprisingly, told me that they really liked the service. I was happy to hear this, although it has become hard to be hopeful that the Lord will save them. I have shared the Gospel with them before, and it has come to similar conclusions (i.e. no bearing fruit).

Trusting the Lord with the salvation of His people is not easy when those you love very much are not saved, but it is necessary. I am able to have some sense of peace knowing that His will is being enacted through my sharing the Gospel with others, all for His Glory. It is for HIS sake that He saves His people, and if I asked Him, “Why some, and not others?” it would be like I was clay and asking the potter, “Why did you make me like this? (Romans 9)”

Throughout this time period, Zach and I tried to give away some tracts to people working. At the Tread-quarters, Zach was able to give a Don’t Stub Your Toe Booklet to one of the mechanics, who told Zach that he was a Catholic, but seemed very excited to be able to read it. We also tried to give out a tract at the movie theater, but the man wouldn’t receive it. Please pray for both of these men, and that the Lord would change their hearts and save them, if they do not already know Him.

Overall, it seems like this Christmas there were many small moments of sharing the Gospel. I was able to speak very briefly about the Incarnation to coworkers and friends, but I wasn’t able to share the full Gospel. This is also true for Zach. Sometimes, it is easy to become discouraged when there are only these very small moments in time where snippets of the Gospel can be shared, especially during a holiday such as this. However, this discouragement only comes when we take our eyes off of our Savior, and orient them towards ourselves. The Lord Jesus Christ is Sovereign, and He makes it so that, in His good grace, we have opportunities, no matter how small, to share His good Gospel. This is enough.

Lastly, I would like to ask that you consider this today as the celebration of the Incarnation is fresh in our minds: Jesus Christ came for a purpose– to be glorified, and He will be. God is glorified when enacting His grace on believers, but also when enacting His wrath. Knowing what would await us in eternity if Christ did not come to die for our sins makes the celebration of Jesus’ birth that much more profound. And with that I say…. Merry (belated) Christmas!

Do YOU have any evangelistic encounters from this season? Please comment below. I would love to hear about them!

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