Not losing sight

Dear Friends,

Let me introduce myself. My name is Jason Oakes. I have served as the Associate Pastor of Community Baptist Church for the last 3½ years. My wife Amy and I have two boys named Noah and Elijah. My family moved into Fallbrook at the beginning of 2008. I want to thank Marcy Burge for the privilege of allowing me to share some of my thoughts with you this Christmas season.

This Christmas has come with many complications. Some have lost their jobs and their homes. Others are still rebuilding from the Rice Canyon fires of 2007. Still others are without loved ones this holiday season who have passed away or are serving our country overseas. Families are struggling this Christmas to find the money to buy gifts for their children or get together with family.

I encourage you this holiday season to not lose sight of the message of Christmas. That message is that literally overnight, everything can be made new by this little baby Jesus. It’s always amazing to me to watch the dramatic change that this season brings. The color scheme changes to green and red. Houses are decorated with beautiful lights and manger scenes. Classic Christmas hymns and carols are being played on radio stations and in shopping malls. All of the classic movies and Christmas specials are being played on television. Families focus their money and time on buying gifts for one another, sending cards and planning get-togethers.

Christmas is the celebration of the moment in time when God took on human flesh in order to save us from our sins. Jesus has the power to change the darkest of circumstances and the hardest of hearts. Literally overnight, everything can be made new. There is no other source that I know of that describes the change that Jesus brought to this world and to our lives than the lyrics to my favorite Christmas song, “O Holy Night!” so I would like to share the first verse and chorus with you.

“O holy night! The stars are brightly shining; it is the night of the dear Savior’s birth / Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ’til He appeared and the soul felt its worth / A thrill of hope – the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn! / Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices! O night divine. O night when Christ was born! / O night, O holy night, O night divine!”

Once again, thank you for the opportunity for letting me share my heart with you. Fallbrook is such a friendly town, and I look forward to meeting you all in the future.