Celebrating Christmas

Thank you ladies and gentlemen for Bibles.

I want you to turn to Luke chapter 2.

Luke 2 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 2, I hope you're having a blessed Christmas.

Luke 2 · chapter mention

I was going to say because of the inconvenience of all the

things that happen on Christmas morning and I understand all of

that to come as you are, come comfortable.

But I went to Walmart and decided I wasn't going to encourage

people to just come as they were.

So, because I've seen them as they is.

I hope it's a blessed Christmas and I thank you for putting

Christ at the center of it.

He deserves it and we're better off for it.

And I think it says something about your priorities and I

appreciate that and admire it.

I don't believe you'd want to be here without hearing the

Christmas story.

It just makes sense to me.

Luke chapter 2, beginning in verse 1.

Luke 2 · chapter mention

It says,

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the

world should be registered.

This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of

Syria and all went to be registered, each to his own town.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to

Judea to the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he

was of the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary as

betrothed who was with child.

And while they were there, this time came for her to give birth.

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in

swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no

place for them in the inn.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field keeping

watch over their flock by night.

An angel of the Lord appeared to them.

The glory of the Lord shone around them and they were filled with

great fear.

And the angel said to them,

Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will

be for all the people.

For under you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is

Christ the Lord.

This will be a sign for you, you'll find a baby wrapped in

swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly

hosts praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on

earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.

When the angels went away from them into heaven the shepherds said

to one another let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that

has happened which the Lord has made known to us.

And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby

lying in a manger and when they saw it they made known the saying

that had been told them concerning this child.

And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

But Mary treasured up all these things pondering them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all they had

heard and seen as it had been told them.

My favorite parts of these words are close to the end of it when it talks

about how to celebrate and how to respond to Christmas.

So briefly this morning I want to encourage you to respond and to celebrate

in three ways.

And if you don't get it then I won't be brief.

First is ponder.

That's what verse 19 says Mary did.

She pondered.

I love that verse.

She treasured all these things pondering them in her heart.

Mary just let it soak in.

Muse is a good word.

Because muse means to sit back and to meditate and to think.

Amuse means to not muse.

We like amusement parts because we don't have to think.

We like amusement because we don't have to think.

But there's times when we ought to think.

Now there's a lot of amusements this time of year.

However, I believe it's important to pause in the midst of all that happens

to muse as well.

And that's what Mary did.

She took it in.

It's one of my favorite Christmas verses because it's personal to me.

Because I noticed something over the years of growing up

and then having our own children

when we went back to where I grew up

to grandpa and grandma's house.

When all the gifts were around the tree

they were all distributed out.

People tearing into them.

A couple of dogs usually in the mix somewhere.

I would look and my mother would not be opening her gifts.

Pile of gifts be around her

and yet she's not opening them.

Mama opened one and she

just kind of blow us off.

Continue to watch.

Take it in.

I never quite understood that but

I do now.

I do now.

I do now.

It's much more blessed to give than to receive.

She's just watching.

Watching responses and watching to see if

just taking it in.

And she often says it was a red letter day

and so she's just taking it in.

And that's what Mary did.

She just took it in.

Now,

there's a lot going on these days.

But I encourage you,

don't get so caught up in all of it

that you miss the pondering.

That you miss the still moment.

That you miss the mental gathering.

Taking it in.

These are blessed times.

Memory makers.

So soak them in.

Ponder.

The second response I see them do is share.

It's in verse 17 and 18.

And it says,

when they saw it,

when they saw it,

they made known the saying that had been told them

concerning this child.

And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

Notice the response of those shepherds that were told.

They were amazed.

The people that they told were amazed.

And if you think about the whole story,

as if you've never heard it,

it is amazing.

That God loved us enough to send his son.

And when he sent his son to send him in a stable.

To be raised by ordinary folk.

To never hold an office.

Jesus never traveled beyond 200 miles from his home.

Yet to be perfect and to die for us,

but then to rise from death on his own.

And then to go to heaven to work on our behalf

while he empowers us to do what he's called us to do.

And I love this.

And he lives to make intercession for us.

He lives to pray for us.

The gospel is amazing.

Every time a lost one hears it.

It could very well be amazing.

So share it.

What's God done for you?

Don't hold that in.

You don't have to have a spiritual gift of proclamation

or evangelism to be able to share what God has done for you.

We share about the things that we care about.

We share about those things that mean so much to us.

Let's share about the Lord.

And then the last response is to praise.

Verse 20 says,

And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God

for all they had heard and seen as it had been told them.

When all the festivities are done,

it'll be time to return.

However, when you return back to some sense of normalcy,

if there is even such a thing in today's world,

return like these did.

Return glorifying and praising God.

Years ago,

Larno Harris sung a song

about after Christmas putting the decorations up.

And he said his boy was helping him

put the decorations in the attic.

And his son asked him,

Dad, do we store away Jesus too?

And he responds with a chorus in that song,

All year long.

We must worship day by day.

All year long,

tis the season to obey.

May the Christmas tree lights

and the sleigh ride of night

remind us all to stay

in God's presence

all year long.

My friend, that's what Christmas is about.

Christmas is about

re-energizing,

re-engaging,

re-steering our mind

upon what really matters

and not missing it.

Years ago, it is told

that in a European country,

there was a christening taking place

of a child

who had been born to royalty.

And the guest arrived.

A servant met them at the door

and took their wraps.

And as they continued to gather

for this christening,

finally someone said,

Where's the baby?

The nurse went to fetch the baby

but couldn't find the baby.

And finally, a guest recalled

having seen the baby in the bed

where the coats had been placed.

The parents were horrified

to find their baby in that room

too late

smothered by a pile of coats.

What an irony

that the real purpose of the gathering

had been forgotten

and the one to be honored

had been killed.

I wonder if

that isn't true

for

many of us

at this time of year.

Jesus is the reason

for the season.

Jesus is our celebration.

He is the honored one.

He is our king.

So

this year

let's honor him

by wondering.

By

by witnessing

by waiting

before him

and worshiping him.

I think that would make

not only for a blessed Christmas

but a blessed new year

as well.

With every head bowed

and every eye closed

I want to ask you this morning

greatest Christmas gift

you've ever been given

is Jesus Christ

and the opportunity of salvation.

And so I want to ask you this morning

has there ever been a time

in your life

when you've surrendered your life

to the Lord Jesus Christ?

You've given up your life

and given it to him.

Asked him to forgive you

and to cleanse you

and to change you.

Committed you

to your life

to live

from this day forward

for him.

If that's never happened to you

I want you to know

there's an invitation

open to you

not only by me

but by the Lord Jesus himself.

If you sense the need of that

you didn't come up with that

on your own

it's God probing you

he's working and moving in you

he's speaking to you.

No greater Christmas gift

could come to you

than the gift of eternal life

through surrendering your life

to the Lord Jesus Christ.

And no greater gift

could you give

than yourself to Christ.

What a way to celebrate Christmas.

Maybe you're here

and God's speaking to you

about making a private decision

that you've made

for the Lord public.

Like these that have come

this morning to be baptized

you know that you need

to do that as well

to honor the Lord.

To be biblical

about your salvation.

God's leading you

to do such as that.

I encourage you to come

we'd love to guide you in that

schedule that for you

celebrate that with you.

Maybe the Lord's leading you

to this church.

You feel like God's

drawing you to be a member

of this church

and to worship with us

and I encourage you

if he does so

you come

just as good a morning as any.

I encourage you to come.

And maybe it's

not those things.

Maybe it's a private matter.

Maybe the reality is

that you've not been

spending enough time

pondering upon the Lord.

you've not spent enough time

sharing the Lord

with others.

You've not spent enough time

worshiping the Lord.

And today you want to say

Lord I want to give you

my gift

and that's me.

I'm going to give you

all of me.

I want to start new

with you oh God today.

You can do that

where you are.

I'll be happy to pray for you.

You can come to this altar.

Whatever God leads you to do

just be obedient.

You'll never be satisfied

unless you're obediently

following the Lord.

So just do what

he tells you to do.

Nothing more

and nothing less.

Lord Jesus thank you

for all that you give to us

and all that you do for us.

And I just pray that you'll

help us to be obedient

this morning

as you speak to us

this Christmas morning.

In Jesus precious name.

Amen.