December 16th, 2022
by Ivey Rhodes
by Ivey Rhodes
Most of us probably think of Valentine's as the season of love. I mean, we exchange cards, heart candies, and roses. So, I get it. Yet, I would argue that Christmas is the real season of love.
Think about how many Christmas songs are love songs: "Baby Please Come Home," "All I Want for Christmas is You," "Last Christmas," "Baby It's Cold Outside," "Santa Baby," and the scandalous "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause." That poor child.
It's not just the songs, there are plenty of Christmas movies about love. Hallmark essentially created the cheesy, but very lucrative, Christmas love story genre. 85 million people tune in to the Hallmark Channel every year to watch these festive love stories. Yes, you read that right: 85 million.
Cheesy Christmas love stories are even in the Bible. About one thousand years before Jesus was born, a love story between Ruth and Boaz played out in Bethlehem. It's basically like reading an ancient Hallmark movie, and it was this love story that would lead to Christ's coming.
But Christmas love is about way more than romance. In general, love is far more than romance. Of course, the Scriptures talk about romance, but they also expose love's multifaceted aspects in four types: Friendship, Familial, Romantic, and Sacrificial. This last aspect of love is called Agape in Greek, and it's the type that Jesus most often talked about. It was Agape love that would compel God to send his Son and lead Christ to the cross.
Tomorrow we are going to take a deeper look at God's Agape love for us on this fourth Sunday of Advent. I'd love for you to celebrate with us!
Think about how many Christmas songs are love songs: "Baby Please Come Home," "All I Want for Christmas is You," "Last Christmas," "Baby It's Cold Outside," "Santa Baby," and the scandalous "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause." That poor child.
It's not just the songs, there are plenty of Christmas movies about love. Hallmark essentially created the cheesy, but very lucrative, Christmas love story genre. 85 million people tune in to the Hallmark Channel every year to watch these festive love stories. Yes, you read that right: 85 million.
Cheesy Christmas love stories are even in the Bible. About one thousand years before Jesus was born, a love story between Ruth and Boaz played out in Bethlehem. It's basically like reading an ancient Hallmark movie, and it was this love story that would lead to Christ's coming.
But Christmas love is about way more than romance. In general, love is far more than romance. Of course, the Scriptures talk about romance, but they also expose love's multifaceted aspects in four types: Friendship, Familial, Romantic, and Sacrificial. This last aspect of love is called Agape in Greek, and it's the type that Jesus most often talked about. It was Agape love that would compel God to send his Son and lead Christ to the cross.
Tomorrow we are going to take a deeper look at God's Agape love for us on this fourth Sunday of Advent. I'd love for you to celebrate with us!
Posted in Weekly Update
Recent
Archive
2024
January
March
April
May
June
September
October
2023
January
February
March
April
May
July
September
2022
June
July
No Comments