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The Nativity - The Reason for the Season

I did something today that I normally don’t do: I ventured into a place I consider hostile territory – I went to the movies. Those who know me well (admittedly a crowd of one – my wife) know that I abhor the environment of the modern movie theater. If it wasn’t for the movie that we were going to see, the $3.50 bottle of water would have surely tipped me into another soapbox on the absurdity of the modern theater environment. However, I was anticipating the pleasure of the movie “The Nativity Story”, so being a grump about having to endure the movie theater seemed at odds with the message of Jesus.

After viewing “The Nativity Story”, I can clearly see why the City of Chicago was so quick to ban public excerpts of the film from being shown at a street festival in the city a few weeks ago. This movie is all about JESUS! We really can’t have that going on freely in the American public square now can we? This movie is a wonderful reminder of why Christians should love Christmas. This was not so much a movie, as it was a visual representation of the message of Luke Chapter 1. No Hollywood gimmicks; no over-indulgent melodrama. It tells the simple but powerful message of how our Lord and Savior was sent into the world by a patient, loving and generous God, to save us all from the sins of our lives. The characters were not the typical Hollywood types. These were people who probably would have looked and acted as the New Testament figures written about in the Gospels. They were human, they were humble, they were fearful and they were faithful. All qualities that we need as Christians today, if we are to make an impact for Christ in a world long already gone mad.

God bless those responsible for making this film, and those responsible for bringing it to the movie theaters. “The Nativity Story” may be playing in but one of the many theaters in the multiplex, but its story is as a million miles away from the perversion that is likely being shown elsewhere in the theater under the same roof.

May it bring many lost viewers into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as the King who was born to die for the sins of their lives: The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." (Luke 1:28-33 NIV)

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