John 1:1-5, 14, 16-17  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it … The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth … From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

A recent Facebook post said simply “Ruin Christmas with four words.” My immediate thought was “It can’t be done.”

Of course I knew what the poster meant. He or she was referring to ruining one’s celebration of Christmas. We do that all the time. And it doesn’t take much. It usually happens because we set our expectations too high and forget what Christmas is supposed to be all about. When people think Christmas is ruined it is because they leave Christ out of it.

I maintain that there is nothing we can do to ruin Christmas because Christmas is what God did for us. Out of His love, He came down here to be one of us. And it was so much more than just a baby born in a stable in Bethlehem. That was God with us, the promised Messiah, the one who would save us from our sin. It was all God’s doing, the Word became flesh, paid our debt, rescued us, and gives life eternal to those who trust in Him.

That can’t be ruined even if the tree gets knocked over, if grandma’s dish gets broken, if someone can’t make it home, or even if a loved one has died and is not with you this year. Yes, bad things can and will happen, even at Christmas. But that does not change what happened through the Word becoming flesh. You and I have received one blessing after another. First and foremost is that Jesus came and offered Himself to redeem us. In Him was life, and He gives that life to you.

Of the father’s love begotten Ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega, He the Source, the Ending, He,
Of the things that are, that have been And that future years shall see
Evermore and evermore.

O that birth forever blessed When the Virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving, Bore the Savior of our race,
And the Babe, the World’s Redeemer, First revealed His sacred face,
Evermore and evermore.

O ye heights of heaven, adore Him; Angel hosts, His praises sing;
Powers, dominions, bow before Him And extol our God and King.
Let no tongue on earth be silent, Every voice in concert ring
Evermore and evermore.

(Lutheran Service Book #384 stanzas 1,2,4)