As we continue our look at the “wonderful” things of the Christmas season, we take a glance at the importance of family and friends to Jesus’ ministry.
Matthew 3:13-17 Jesus answered him, “Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him [to be baptized]. Matthew 3:15 HCSB
FAMILY & FRIENDS. I don’t know about the rest of you, but during this time of year, there is one thing I absolutely hate to do...TRAVEL. And yet, I travel...year after year after year. (I can see the odometer climbing as I type.) “Why?” you ask, “do I travel, if I hate it so much?” The same reason as you...FAMILY & FRIENDS. This year my wife and I will be driving to my father-in-law’s family gathering, then that night driving to my mother’s house for Christmas morning, then back to my mother-in-law’s for her family gathering then I am going to visit some college buddies...well, you get the picture. I do this...we all do this...because we love and are loved.
During this time of hectic schedules and empty gas tanks, we are rejuvenated by love. As we look to God’s holy scripture, we find that Jesus’ family and friends rejuvenated Him and played an irreplaceable part of His ministry. He surrounded Himself with twelve men that He poured his heart into for three years. He was moved to tears when He lost one of His closest friends. On the day of His death, He chose His most beloved disciple, to be the “son” for His mother. Time after time, we come across Jesus being encircled with loved ones. Yes, He did find time alone to spend with His Father, but during most of His life, He was busy with loving and being loved.
In Matthew, as we look at Jesus’ baptism, we notice that when He began His ministry, He did not go to one of the Jewish leaders of the day, or a church official, or any other religious head to be baptized; instead, He went to one of His friends since birth—John the Baptist. When He arrived, John declared, “I should be baptized by you!” But Jesus, persisted, not only in Him being baptized, but specifically, by John. Why do you think Jesus sought after John to perform the baptism? To shun the “political” world? Probably not. To make John feel like part of the “club” Nah, that either. It was because John was His friend. And during the most important times in His life, Jesus wanted those nearest and dearest to His heart with Him. His Father was even there for the post-baptismal toast (verse 17).
During the holiday season, one of the greatest opportunities we have is to spend the time with those we love...the parents, the kids, the husband or wife, dearest friends, and even pets (in my case, two furry little cats). Some of us even have memories of loved ones gone before us, and this time of year allows us moments to reminisce on what they mean to us, even now. We must be certain to take advantage of those times to appreciate special recollections and realize why they were so extraordinary...because of the people we shared them with. And now we must go from here; and as we remember Christmases past, we must make the most of “now”, and ensure those memories for years to come.
John Burroughs, an American essayist, once said, “I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.” Let us make the most of each breath we are given. For we are just a vapor.
Father, God, we praise You for being our eternal loving Father. We praise You for Your Son, whom, by His death and resurrection, enabled You to adopt us into Your family. During this holiday season, may we always remember that You alone bless us with the people in our lives. We are grateful for what they mean to us. We pray You keep them safe during this upcoming year and allow us to share another year’s worth of memories with them. In Your blessed Son’s name, we pray. Amen.
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