THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS IS PERSONAL

The hope of every advertiser is that each and every one of us takes the message of the ad very, very personally. They spend very big bucks trying to get our personal attention so that we might respond to the pitch being made and, hopefully purchase the product that is being advertised. The bigger the venue, the more the ad costs the advertiser. The Super Bowl tops in costs because more people watch the Super Bowl than any other event on television.

Obviously enough people take advertisements so personally that, in the long run, they become cost-effective else manufacturers would have to come up with some other way to get our attention. The fact is that very few ads ever get our personal attention, get us to not only view and listen to the ad but also to go out and purchase whatever it is that is being pitched.

All of which brings me to Christmas and the message of Christmas and that that message is very, very personal and is to be taken very, very personally. The message of the angel of the Lord as recorded in Luke’s Gospel tells us that “to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” (2:11) That is a generic message as the “to you” means “to all of us, to every human being.”

Yet that message is more than generic. It is personal. When I read that Gospel passage, it is meant to read, “To you, Bill Pugliese, is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord” Jesus was born for me, for me. Unless I hear that message, unless I realize that it is a very, very personal message addressed to me personally, the words of the Gospel will be simply words; solemn and holy and inspiring words, but just words as in an advertisement.

For it is only when the personal message hits home, that the down times in our lives can become up times, that the sad times can turn into glad times. For to each one of us there are moments when we feel lost and alone, when there is a sense of hurt and loss and anger. It is in those times that that personal message can ring loud and clear; “For to me, to me, is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Jesus was born among us for us. He was born for me, FOR ME even though I was not there when he was born and not there to hear that message. Nevertheless, it is a very, very personal message of salvation, my salvation and yours. For each one of us, when we read that message, is asked to insert our own name into it. That is how very personal the message of Christmas is. It is not an advertisement. It is real.

It is because of Jesus’ birth among us for you and for me, for each and every one of us both individually and corporately, that we can and should and must celebrate Christmas with love, gratitude and thanksgiving. May we do so.