For years now, we have lamented over how “Christ” is being taken out of Christmas. For example, this morning I drove by a house with a giant sign that read “Merry X-Mass.” And I am sure at some point during this Christmas season you will hear “Happy Holidays.”  As I pondered this trend, it occurred to me that we shouldn’t be surprised by it. We can protest and demand that people say “Merry Christmas,” but why should we expect everyone to celebrate this holiday when many don’t even believe in Christ or know about the Christ of the Bible?

I was talking to someone in church on Sunday who told me that he recently witnessed to a man who had never even heard the Christmas story. That is the shocking reality of the world we live in. There is a lack of Biblical literacy that permeates our society. But rather than demand everyone say “Merry Christmas,” perhaps a better approach would be to use this season of Christmas as a platform to share the gospel. One simple idea is to give someone you know a New Testament Bible and encourage them to read the Christmas story and learn about the person of Jesus Christ. It’s simple, but it could be life changing for that person.

It’s a wonderful privilege to freely celebrate Christmas each year. As Christian’s we know that Christmas is all about the incarnation – how God came to earth in human form to dwell among us. No matter what kind of language the world uses, we know that this season is all about the birth of Christ and the hope that we find in him. To the unbeliever, it doesn’t make sense. “The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18). To the believer, it is the glorious message of salvation and eternal life in Christ.

Let me encourage you not to miss this opportunity to tell the Christmas story to those who need to hear it most. Be bold and be prayerful and then watch how God works. One more thing – Merry Christmas!