By Morgan Mizell

 

NATCHEZ — The message of Christmas, for many, is a message of hope.

The birth of Jesus in the City of David as described in Luke is the timeless story told over and over and even sung about in songs inside and outside of churches everywhere.

Now, the day after, how do Christians hold on to the feeling of gratitude they have been given during this festive season?

Some pastors in the area are delivering messages Sunday about that very same thought — now what?

The Rev. Bo Swilley of Community Chapel Church of God said the church is now called to do more.

“We have just celebrated the arrival of Christ, the First Advent,” Swilley said. “Now, we are to make preparations for his second coming or what we would call the Second Advent.”

Swiley thinks the season of Christmas brings out the best in people as they set about doing for others and really getting into charity; however, the needs present during this time of the year are present every day and he hopes people remember that.

“We get so busy in the Christmas season putting up decorations and shopping for gifts and we can get a little overwhelmed,” Swilley said. “I think this time of year brings out the best in people, and my hope is people are not in such a hurry to get back to their routine that they forget what the message is — blessing others and preparing people to receive God.”

The Rev. Dwight Greene of Living Word Worship Center said his message this Sunday will center on the message of the wise men who came to see Jesus, but were warned in a dream by God not to return the way they had come.

“I think the message of Jesus is one of hope,” Greene said. “I want to focus on what we do after we have been introduced to this hope. Do we go back to the life we have known or do we go another way and live differently?”

Greene and his congregation has seen many changes in the past year and he hopes the changes will help usher in great things for the years to come, as all who wish to are welcome in the non-denominational worship.

“The message of hope is so important, as people may be in need of something in their life and it is the promise of hope that keeps us going,” Greene said. “I hope people will go into the new year in a ‘new way’ and not worry about what will happen because if they reflect on how far God has already brought them, they can be assured and have faith that he will take them the rest of the way.”

Greene gave an illustration of faith by comparing it to being at an airport and waiting on a plane to arrive.

“You are sitting there waiting on your plane and once the airline official tells you the plane is close, you get up and begin to make preparations to board your flight even if you do not see a plane,” Greene said. “You believe what you have been told and you have a confident expectation that your flight is near and you get ready. We need to have that same confident expectation in God and his plan and take that hope with us the rest of the year and make preparations, walk in faith and know God will work everything out.”

The Rev. Nance Hixon of Grace United Methodist Church said the season of Christmas is just the beginning for Methodists.

“Christmas day is really the beginning of Christmas for us in the Methodist Church,” Hixon said. “Like the song about the twelve days of Christmas, it begins on December 25th and that is where we are right now, so we will continue to talk about Jesus’ birth.”

Hixon said it would be January before his sermons even begin to focus on the wise men.

“The message is still very naturally about Christ’s arrival and the light He brings into the world,” Hixon said. “That is what we will continue to talk and sing about.”

The candlelight service Hixon performed on Christmas Eve was close to the message he wants to emphasize to his congregation during the next few weeks.

“It is a message of light,” Hixon said. “The wise men followed the light of the star to find Jesus and how Jesus is the light of the world and we are also called to be lights in the darkness of the world. We are to shine our light in how we live, what we do, and how we speak to others.”

Although their churches are different and the denominations vary, the messages are similar in feeling as they are all asking people to do a little more in their own lives to show others what it means to have a personal walk with Christ.

“We need to realize how blessed we are and we are called to do more,” Swilley said. “We are really called to share the message of Christ and help people. We are the hands and feet of Christ. We are approaching a new year and people will be making resolutions to eat better and lose weight, but I think we need to consider making commitments to do more in sharing the Gospel and preparing people to meet Christ.”