He Came to Change the World: 7 Day Advent GuideSample

People often think in strange ways. Baseball players will wear the same pair of socks, the same cap, or go through the same routine for every game, thinking these actions will bring them a better chance at winning. Parents will work to manage their child’s classroom, sport’s team, or friendships, believing this will ensure success and popularity. It often does—temporarily. It is common to want to believe—even if deep down you know it’s not true. I still remember the Sunday morning Ryan came home from church and asked me about Santa. I had made the decision early on that if my children asked me a question, I would give them an honest answer. (But I considered reconsidering that Sunday morning.) In the end, I told Ryan about St. Nicolas and why we “celebrate” his memory at Christmas with stockings and gifts. Then I told Ryan that each family needed to decide what to tell their children about Santa Claus, so he needed to honor that by not telling what he knew. Ryan didn’t quite agree with that last part. Let’s just say that telling Ryan the truth wasn’t my most popular decision that Christmas—but I’m still glad I did. There were a lot of strange beliefs at the time of Christ. The Romans had adopted Greek philosophy. They gave Roman names to the Greek gods and believed those gods had powers and personalities. The Oracle of Delphi was a popular belief in Jesus’ day. A goat herder noticed his goats were acting strange and, upon investigation, saw that the goats had been inhaling vapors emitting from a certain rock. From that experience, a belief developed that these vapors could be used to divine great truths if inhaled by a priestess, the Oracle. For centuries, people endured the long, difficult journey to an elaborate temple built for the Oracle of Delphi. People would deliver offerings and hope for a word of truth and guidance from the Oracle. A great deal of history was affected because some prominent world leaders believed in the power of the Oracle of Delphi. Jesus was born into a world that was governed by people who believed that their false gods could provide power and success and trusted an oracle to give divine advice. The leaders of the world were being misled because they believed in false gods and thought they were real. It is no surprise that the angels appeared that first Christmas not to the strong and powerful leaders but to a group of humble shepherds (Luke 2:8–20). The message of Christmas came to those who would believe the truth. As a child, I would lie in bed on Christmas Eve and wish that Santa was real. I wished reindeer could fly and a pudgy old man could squeeze down countless chimneys with presents. But I’m glad that I have chosen to believe the truth and that I can rejoice with those shepherds who heard the angels say, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to all men on whom his favor rests.” May God’s favor rest on all of us this Christmas as we teach the truth of the season. One final word: the Oracle of Delphi’s prophesying was abolished in the fourth century . . . because it contradicted Christianity. Jesus came to change the way people think. Enjoy telling people the truth about Christmas!