Christmas Breezes
Christmas holds a special place in the hearts of many people, a time to reflect on the Savior's birth and the qualities of love, mercy, and sacrifice.
A.W. Tozer reflects on the beauty of Christmas, emphasizing that despite the cold and bleakness of winter, the season brings forth a deeper beauty rooted in love, mercy, and sacrifice. He acknowledges the commercialization and abuses surrounding the holiday but insists that the essence of Christmas should not be surrendered to negativity. Tozer highlights that even a fleeting appreciation for the Savior's birth signifies hope for humanity, as it indicates a heart still capable of recognizing love and grace. He encourages a tribute to these higher qualities, suggesting that such moments of elevation offer a glimpse of redemption for a fallen world.
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For those nations of the earth which have known the story of Jesus, Christmas is undoubtedly the most beautiful time of the year.
Though the celebration of the Savior's birth occurs in the dead of winter, when in many parts of the world the streams are frozen and the landscapes cold and cheerless, still there is beauty at the Christmas season--not the tender beauty of spring flowers or the quiet loveliness of the full-blown summer, or yet the sad sweet graces of autumn colors. It is beauty of another kind, richer, deeper and more elevating, that beauty which considerations of love and mercy bring before the mind.
Though we are keenly aware of the abuses that have grown up around the holiday season, we are still not willing to surrender this ancient and loved Christmas Day to the enemy. Though those purer emotions which everyone feels at Christmas are in most hearts all too fleeting, yet it is something that a lost and fallen race should pay tribute, if only for a day, to those higher qualities of the mind--love and mercy and sacrifice and a life laid down for its enemies. While men are able to rise even temporarily to such heights, there is hope that they have not yet sinned away their day of grace. A heart capable of admiring and being touched by the story of the manger birth is not yet abandoned, however sinful it may be. There is yet hope in repentance.
Sermon Outline
- The Beauty of Christmas
- The Abuses of Christmas
- The Hope of Christmas
- A time for repentance and redemption
- A heart capable of love and mercy is not yet lost
Key Quotes
“Though the celebration of the Savior's birth occurs in the dead of winter, when in many parts of the world the streams are frozen and the landscapes cold and cheerless, still there is beauty at the Christmas season--not the tender beauty of spring flowers or the quiet loveliness of the full-blown summer, or yet the sad sweet graces of autumn colors. It is beauty of another kind, richer, deeper and more elevating, that beauty which considerations of love and mercy bring before the mind.” — A.W. Tozer
“While men are able to rise even temporarily to such heights, there is hope that they have not yet sinned away their day of grace.” — A.W. Tozer
“A heart capable of admiring and being touched by the story of the manger birth is not yet abandoned, however sinful it may be.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We should strive to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and its significance in our lives.
- We can learn from the story of the manger birth about the importance of sacrifice and a life laid down for others.
- There is always hope for repentance and redemption, as long as a heart is capable of love and mercy.