You are not Christmas.

What needs to happen this Christmas?

I need to buy allthepresents. I need to prep alltheworship for church. I need to help the kids memorize allthepassages for the Christmas program. I need to watch allthespecials that we watch in our family. And I need to make sure to get allthedecorations out!

How about you? Do you have to do allthethings?

Some people say Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Some people claim it’s a night of peace.

Not in my house.

At my house, it’s crazybusy. We try to keep our eyes on Jesus, but did you know it’s not less busy for pastors? My kids have school programs and church stuff and concerts and…

Whew.

It’s just too much. And you have to do it all, don’t you? If you don’t, your kids don’t have that magical Christmas. If you don’t, your family will get angry. If you don’t, Aunt Mildred will give you the hairy eye. And you need to make Christmas for everyone.

Oh, and don’t forget to smile.

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Overwhelmed? I get it. So much.

Let me remind you of something I need to hear:

You are not Christmas.

It is not your job to bring peace for other people. It’s not your job to create Christmas for your kids. It’s not your task to suck in all the sparkle and spit out all the joy. It’s not even your responsibility to make sure that everyone has enough tinsel.

If you think that if you don’t accomplish allthethings, Christmas will be ruined, you’re trying to be Christmas. You’re trying to accomplish what Christmas did. Christmas brings joy; not your efforts. If you think that if you don’t do X, joy will be lost, you think you’re Christmas.

You don’t bring that joy.

Christmas does.

See, Christmas isn’t about what you give. It’s about what was given to you.

I hope this is an old, old message for you. Maybe you’re even rolling your eyes. But it is so, so easy to forget.

You are not responsible to make Christmas for anyone. You can’t. Christmas isn’t about you giving anything to anyone.

Christ is responsible for Christmas, and he already gave it two thousand years ago. He already gave you Christmas. He gave you himself.

And if it’s already done, if Jesus has already achieved it, no one can take it away. In the words of Doctor Seuss, “Maybe Christmas is a little bit more.” It doesn’t come in your efforts. It doesn’t come in allthethings. It doesn’t come in alltheprograms.

It comes in allofGod wrapped up in flesh and laid in a manger. It comes with the singing of angels to shepherds. It comes to a tired mother and an exhausted father as they see the face of God in the face of a baby.

Be at peace: You are not Christmas.

Christmas has already been accomplished. Peace has been won with God.

If you have Jesus, you have Christmas.