Yesterday was Christmas Day! For most of us in America that meant waking up early, ripping into presents, and focusing on family. But later that day, I was invited to visit our Burmese congregation as they celebrated the birth of Christ. It was there that I saw a real Christmas.
Meeting Buddhist Monks On Christmas
On the night of Christ’s birth the shepherds, having experienced the virgin born Son of God, could not contain the knowledge of the Savior. The scriptures tell us that “they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.” (Luke 2:17) Evangelism was the natural response after experiencing the saving grace of God.
And it was evangelism that I witnessed yesterday at that Burmese Christian gathering. Over one hundred of our Burmese members gathered on Christmas Day to feast together, exchange gifts and tell the story of the birth of our Savior. But most notably they invited prominent Buddhist Monks from our community to experience their Christian fellowship, see a dramatic re-enactment of the Birth of Christ, and hear the gospel preached.
I had the privilege of meeting these monks as you see pictured above. What joy I felt in my heart when I saw them seated on the front row of this gathering and our Burmese church members sharing the gospel with them through drama, music, and preaching.
Many of our Burmese members were once Buddhist, but then they heard of the Savior, confessed Christ, and were baptized into the fellowship of the Church. And now, so full of the love of Christ they wanted their Buddhist friends to know the good news of Jesus as well.
They could have done like the rest of us and huddled in their homes to exchange gifts just with family. They could have gathered as a church and just reveled in their salvation in Christ. But no! They embodied the spirit of the shepherds. They “spread the word” concerning the Savior that was born.
Jesus is not a mere story to be told, he is a Savior to be experienced. Christ is not just to be cherished, but he is to be shared with everyone who has yet to hear.
I am proud to be the Senior Pastor of these Burmese Christians. They engaged in a real Christmas yesterday. They shared the hope of Christ with those who did not possess that hope.
Christmas is about Christ and Christ is to be shared with the world.
Let’s share the saving message of Christ with those around us who do not yet know of his soul redeeming love.
Question: What are ways that you have attempted to share the good news of Christ during the Christmas Holiday? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
Thank you professor Greg. This was an inspiring post. Bless all you do.
Hailey,
Thanks for the encouragement. Keep on sharing Jesus!
I have been working with the Tedim (Burma) churches here in Clarkston, GA for the past couple of years. Yesterday, I felt like an outsider at my own family Christmas. That is not said as a negative to them. It is just that my heart has been so changed by this group of believers – how they worship, where they worship, with whom they worship – that the American way no longer fits. This was shared with me via facebook from one of your parishioners. It spoke to my heart. Thank you for posting it.
Thanks for your response. These people are not shaped by our European Christmas culture and see Christmas as a time to gather as a church family, not just their individual families. It is different than we are used to, but most likely more like what the church has been doing for the bulk of the last two thousand years before massive gift giving became such a part of our celebration of Christmas.