Christmas Devotional: Galatians 4:4-9

As I was sitting at home last night, thinking about what I might share with you today, my wife said, “Kevin, we haven’t had much time to really talk about Christmas this year, our lives have been rather busy,” and then she asked me the questions that is rather synonymous with this Christmas season” Kevin, what do you want for Christmas this year?” That’s the question that burdens us this time of year. We want know what everyone wants. In my home, over the last month, I bet that question has been asked over 100 times. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, mom, dad, what do you want for Christmas?

Last year, on our Christmas eve eve service, I shared that Joy gave me a rather vague answer to that question last year. She normally tells me exactly what she wants, because apparently, I’m a typical husband and am poor at reding the signs and clues she may give. But last year was different as she simply told me, that she wanted “cozy.” And even though, I thought I did really well with clue, something tells me that she will be rather specific this year. And of course, I haven’t asked her yet, because we still have over 10 days left😊

But, let me ask you today: what do you want for Christmas? What is it that your soul longs for? For some of us, we really want a new something. If your like me, and your love language is gifts you may have something in mind that would be really nice to find under the tree on Christmas day. Others of us, like my wife who’s love language is quality time, is hoping for that hallmark movie moment… where all the family is together, eating sugar cookies, drinking hot chocolate, and some romantic moment, when I kiss her in the snow. That is what her heart desires. Some of us just want the perfect family Christmas family day, full of your favorite foods, and people. And now there also some of us, that just want everyone to be happy on Christmas. You want everyone to rave over their gifts, the food, and talk how wonderful everything is.

Most of us would probably fall into one of those categories. But folks, I want to simply remind you, that Christmas should have nothing to do with what we want. The Bible continually warns us that our desires most often result in trouble. James 4:1 warns us… “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?” The word pleasure implies desire. Its speaks of what your heart longs for, where you seek delight, pleasure, and enjoyment. Those things, according to the Bible, are the source of conflict in our homes. Now, we know this to be true from experience, do we not. We all wake up on Christmas morning with expectations and strong desires. And when those expectations are not met, we get upset, angry, and often say things that start a chain reaction of sinful activity that we can’t easily stop. This is why Christmas is often so stressful in our homes, because there are so many expectations aiming in opposing directions.

Listen, again I want to remind you that Christmas isn’t about what you want, Instead, Christmas is all about what we need! What desperately need. Listen to Galatians 4… such rich words for us to consider: READ Gal. 4:4-9

This text reminds us of our great need, and our great need is for a redeemer. This text richly reminds us that everyone who lives and breathes, everyone here today is a slave to sin or a son of God. Now, Paul I believe didn’t add daughter her for a reason, and its not because he is sexist. The reason being, is that in the ancient world, it was the oldest son who inherited everything when father passed away. And I believe theologically here, Paul is elevating women to an equal position with man, and says that believers, both male and female are sons of God for they both will inherit all things in me, because I have redeemed them from their sin. The word redeem is a rich theological term, it means buying something back or to pay a ransom for someone. That’s what Jesus died on the cross. That is why He was born in Bethlehem. That is why God sent forth His Son to us, so that we might be set free from the captivity of our sin, so that we may no longer desire things that ultimately will disappoint us.

I find it interesting, when I go into my basement at home, I see piles of things that I used to count as treasure. Many of my favorite Christmas gifts, are there, in the dark and cold corners of my home, collecting dust. For some reason, I don’t have the heart to thrown them away. All of them serve as reminders of the past, but in a way they also speak to the nature of heart. For those things could never satisfy my hunger for something new, something better, something shinier, something more lasting. All of it should remind me that I obviously wasn’t created for those things. And this why only God and His Only Son, the Christ child who was born of virgin, lived a sinless life, and died for me and for you, can satisfy our hearts.

Listen to several verses that proclaim this glorious truth:

(Psalm 107:9) For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

(Psalm 16:11) In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

(John 6:35) Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

Church family, this is what Christmas is all about… Jesus has set us free so that we will no longer seek pleasure in stuff, people, or events, but in Him alone. In that Galatians passage I read earlier, Paul asks a humbling question at the end… Verse 9… “But now that you have come to God, or rather be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?”

If we are not careful this Christmas season, our hearts will long for something more. But please don’t turn back to these things. Set our hearts on Christ, who alone can redeem and satisfy. Who alone can make our hearts free from the power of sin and content by grace. Christmas isn’t about what we want, but what we need. And we need Jesus alone!