December 7th, 2019

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#Don’tMiss#Announcement

Saturday, December 7th, 2019

I’m a little bit behind for posting this. Sorry about that. My week was anything but normal. Besides, what is normal anyway? But I guess better late than never.

Depending on circumstances, announcements can be either a curse or a blessing. How many of us can remember the announcements made over the loud speaker at the beginning of every school day.  (Oh you can’t remember that far back? They didn’t have PA systems when you went to school? I’m sorry. 🙂 )  You don’t mind hearing announcements of a special award or a day off from work. But you don’t want to be on a airplane and the captain coming on the speaker saying, “Strap in folks. We are going down.”  Then there is the infamous church announcement time when most don’t hear or it goes over their head. Gender reveal parties are all the rage today as the big announcement is made about the sex of the baby.

Can any announcement be bigger than the proclamation to the shepherds at the fields of Bethlehem? While we have Christmas plays with cute kids dressed up in towels and robes and groans of “Ooooh” and “Aaaah” and “Ain’t he cute!” coming from our mouths, this story is so much bigger than that.

My sermon this Sunday continues the theme for this month of “Don’t Miss Out!”  As you probably can guess, my sermon will be based on the story of the angel’s announcement to the shepherds. While I will be talking about the shepherds, the main idea will be the names Jesus is given: Savior, Christ, and Jesus (Matthew 1).

I’d appreciate your prayers for Sunday. And I thank you ahead of time.

#ChristmasChallenge#Post7

Saturday, December 7th, 2019

So much about the Christmas story impresses me. A few examples: the number of players involved-wise men, shepherds, innkeeper, Herod, etc.

But what really impresses me are three people in the cast of many.

  • First and foremost: Jesus. The whole story is about Him.
  • Second: Joseph. Put yourself in his place. he is in love with a young girl who turns up pregnant. It is not his because he hadn’t touched her. The only thing that could have gone through him ind was the only thing that did. But a dream changed all that.
  • Third: Mary. her story is told over and over but let’s not forget her response. I’m not a Mary worshiper by any stretch (I despise it actually) but I can’t help but be impressed by this young girl’s response to the news: “I’m yours. Have your way.”

How can I-how can you-read the account of the Christmas story, see the responses of these players-and not be impressed? How can we be unfazed as though nothing happened? I say we can’t. If we are unfazed by it all, perhaps we need to check our heart and revisit the story again.

“Father, you involved so many in this story. Each had their own story to tell. The three stand out to me. May their response be mine.”

Please check out fellow Christmas Challenge takers:

Diane at Hadarah

Ed at Word!