For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Merry Christmas! We’ve made it, friends.
We’ve made it! It’s finally here, with the presents, the food, the family traditions, and the precious memories we get to make. Now, I don’t want to rain on our Christmas Day parade, but if past Christmases are any indication, we should be honest: this day is going to fly by. The magic of the moment always feels so fleeting, doesn’t it?
Which is why it’s good for us to remember that while the celebration may feel transient, the gift we’ve received today in the birth of Jesus is anything but. What he brings with his arrival is a Kingdom (which is nothing other than our true Home) that is good, that is growing, and that is, best of all, unending.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). The Home Jesus has established in his arrival—and into which you’ve been welcomed through your baptism—is better than even the best moments of today Yes, Christmas Day may feel as though it’s already slipping through our hands, but the Household of Jesus, the Kingdom of Christ, will continue to expand, and it will last forever.
And here’s the part we often overlook: you are a part of that enduring work, that unending Kingdom. You, by virtue of your baptism and your identity as God’s chosen child, are part of what Jesus has established and what he promises to uphold forever. You might wonder, “How can that possibly be true, with all the evil and decay I see around me and at work within me?” It’s true because this same Jesus, born on Christmas Day, is at work this Christmas morning, and every morning, renewing, restoring, and revitalizing you.
So yes, the cinnamon rolls will get eaten. The wrapping paper will be tossed. The tree will drop needles, and eventually, the decorations will come down. Like every year before, this day, this beautiful, chaotic, joy-filled Christmas morning, will pass. Because that’s what happens with good things in this life: they come to an end. But not the ultimate gift of Christmas. This King and his Kingdom, this Prince of Peace and the Home he’s establishing, is the one good thing that doesn’t fade, spoil, or slip through your fingers.
Remember, on the Christian calendar, Christmas isn’t just a day. It’s a season! Christmas has twelve days to savor the songs, stretch out the celebration, and keep the joy going. Twelve days to remind yourself that what we’ve received is something that lasts. So let your joy linger. Let your praise keep rising. Because in Jesus’s House, Christmas has only just begun. And the party never ends. Merry Christmas. Amen.