I’ll Be Home for Christmas

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I’ll Be Home for Christmas

by Pastor Phil Wade

Christmas is about connecting with God. In Jeremiah 3, God says, “You belong to me so come home O Israel.” You and I were not meant to belong to a job, past regrets, or other expectations. We were made to belong to God. Wow! When it comes to this “coming home for Christmas” idea, there are several things we must know: 1. There are no perfect homes on our planet earth—no Cleaver families here. 2. No home is permanent—kids grow up, people move away, loved ones die.

Let me say this very gently—if all we have to get us through life is family, then one day, we’re going to find ourselves very lonely. So, let’s consider a different kind of coming home this Christmas. How about a spiritual home coming? A coming home to God; a coming home to your Creator; a coming home to the One who made you. A question people have is: What can I expect by coming home to God or refocusing on God?

I. Expect to come home to God’s love and forgiveness

That’s the very first reason for Christmas—love and forgiveness. Jesus left His home to come to our home so we could get to know Him and hear God say, “I love you and forgive you.” No matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, the Heavenly Father wants you to come home to His love and forgiveness. What keeps us from doing that? Fear and rejection. God surely wants nothing to do with me. You’re dead wrong! “Nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). Say this aloud: “God still loves me!” From the cradle to the cross with outstretched arms Jesus was in essence saying, “I’d rather die than live without you.”

II. Expect to receive His peace and strength

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). 6 // December 2022

When facing tough times, which by the way, are a part of life, where do we get the reservoir of power, strength, and peace to keep going in the middle of chaos, crisis, and tragedy? Unless you’re connected to God, you can only rely on your own energy. I love the text in Matthew 11 because it doesn’t say, “Come to Me and I will give you rules.” Jesus says, “Come to Me and I will give you rest.” Not rules. Not regulations. Not restrictions. Not religion. Not rituals. But rest. “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength” (Isaiah 40:29).

III. Expect God’s purpose and plan for our lives to give hope for the future

So, why did Jesus come at Christmas? Because He didn’t want to love you from a distance! He wants to love you up close. Here’s what’s amazing: God is waiting on you! “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:12). Today—right now—God is calling for you to come home for Christmas. Luke 15 tells us that the angels are waiting to throw a party! All it takes is one lost soul coming to Christ.

About The Author

Pastor Phil Wade and his wife Keli have two children and five grandchildren. His passion in returning to Rome is to give back to Rome the investment they made in him as he served as lead Pastor of Northside Church since 2012.