In just a couple days, we will be celebrating Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ, and with that we’ll be around the tree opening presents, gathering with friends and family, and enjoying the holiday.  But let me ask you: what happens after that?  The presents are gone, the tables cleared away, and Jesus?  What happens to him?  Do we put him away with the Christmas wrappings and decoration too?  We think about God and his son quite a lot these days.  But tomorrow?  Next month?  In July?  God created us to have a relationship with him, as his children.  An intimate, personal relationship with him.  He thinks about us all the time.  In fact, before we were fashioned in the womb, God knew us.  How much time do we spare for God?  Most of us know God, at least from what we are told.  We know of him, we sort of know what he wants, what he desires of us, and we know the story of Jesus.  But do we take it to heart?  We know it, but do we believe it?  Is Jesus just a story like Santa Clause.  Ironically, Santa Claus — better known as Bishop Nicholas of Myra — was a real person as well.  Just as Jesus was real.  Historians — even atheist ones — say that Jesus actually walked the Earth.  We know from different accounts what he did.  What he said.  It’s not a question of “Was Jesus real?”  But rather “What are you going to do about his existence?”  Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose again three days later, ascending to Heaven.  He died to pay for our sins.  So what are you going to do about it?  Do we continue to live our lives as if Jesus didn’t exist?  Or do we acknowledge him?  Acknowledge that we have gone our own way, against God, and need the sacrifice of Jesus to wash away our sins?  Do we live our lives for ourselves and our sin, separating ourselves from God, or do we accept the sacrifice of Jesus to wash away our sins, reconcile us to God, and live our lives for him, calling Jesus “Lord” and “Saviour”?  Here is your chance.  Today, now.  Tell Jesus that you are a sinner, and need his forgiveness and salvation.  Make him your Lord, your King, become born again of the spirit, and follow him.  Then you will have accepted the gift God gave us that Christmas day and he will be your God and you will be his child.