Can I be honest with you? For the past few years I have had this serious “aversion” to preaching at Christmas time. I know it should be a fun time. I know it should be a joyous time. I know it should be a welcome time. But way too often lately (as December approaches) instead of feeling full of fun, joyous and welcoming (and I could also add exciting) as I prepare my Christmas messages, I have felt more despair. No…maybe despair is the wrong word to use. Maybe tired or worn out or overly weary of the same (seemingly) hackneyed sermon ideas that crop up every year at this time. I know…in some minds that is close to heretical.
And I was starting to feel that way again UNTIL...
one of the newer followers of Christ heard me express those thoughts and his words were, “I’m sort of looking forward to hearing those stories.” WOW! Talk about being hit upside the head with a “righteous” 2 x 4. Here was someone who knew about the Christmas story in all its “shallowness” but was looking forward to really digging into its rich meaning! I had a reality check and decided at the moment that I would not look at the Christmas story the same way this year. My original idea was to once again use Advent Conspiracy’s 4 principles as we highlighted the need for clean water wells to be dug. Last week that all changed (I will share that at another time) but the 4 principles will still stand as a basis for the sermon series (besides the fact that three of the four are done). 🙂 Here are the principles:
Worship Fully
Spend Less
Give More
Love All
Using the idea of Worship Fully, I am taking us to the story of the Magi in Matthew 2: 1-12. If any one of the cast of characters we see at the birth of Jesus stands out as an example of worship, it would be the magi. What is important is not whether there were 3 or 300; whether they were astrologers or astronomers; pagans or believers; or whether those gifts were significant in telling a story or not (they do). What is really important is that the greatest gift they offered the baby was not gold, frankincense or myrrh; it was their devotion– their willingness to endure whatever it took, for as long as it took, to find what God had promised them through the sign in the heavens.
Christmas should be a time of worship. To borrow the phrase from Advent Conspiracy: to worship fully. My prayer for “my” people here in Spencer and for you, my blogging or blog-reading friends, is that Christmas this year will shine a little brighter in your hearts as you worship the King. And to you-my cycling buddy who is a fellow Christ-follower now- may this Christmas be a time of learning more about the Savior who came as a baby to die for your sins and mine. And you? How do you see Christmas this year? I would like to hear any thoughts you may have.
I have Dan Drewes to thank once again for putting my mental pictures and words into solid art. You, my friend, are a master.
Yes, your artwork is quite masterful, good job Dan!
Bill..yet again you reign in truth and perspective. I really love the 4 points you bring up, each full of truth…are you preaching each of these in separate messages, one each Sunday until Christmas?
Julie: thanks for stopping by on Thanksgiving day no less! Yes I am preaching each week on one of them. Hopefully it will focus us on the real meaning of Christmas. 🙂
Dan did an awesome job. That needs to be on a greeting card. I think I may have to make a handmade ornament from it.
Secondly, the new believer has hit me with the spiritual 2×4 as well. The message is not for us believers within the walls of the church just to rehash old stories. This is a time of praise and be equipped to go and tell the good news to others. As I listen to the stories this year will it be with and ear of equipping and a heart to tell this story to someone who hasn’t heard it…good whack this morning, I am seeing The Star!
Thanks for the great comment about Dan’s artwork. I will tell him what you said. As for the other: I have certainly looked at the Story differently this year. He reads this blog (but has commented maybe once). 😛 He will see you thoughts as well Tom. Glad you are seeing the Star.
I grow tired of the “Christmas season” because in the past most churches I’ve been around are very shallow with the story. They do the same Christmas dramas they’ve done for 20 years or the same services with the same sermons and I can tell they’re going through the motions. I’m happy you’re not taking it with a grain of salt and doing the “same old” thing. 🙂
Jason: you have hit on what had happened to me over time. I want to avoid that this year and refuse to allow the enemy to steal the joy. Hoping it will be a season filled with wonder for you.
Hi Bill,
I think that Christmas has lost its meaning in the world for many people. Buying material things has been the strong focus of this season of celebration for many decades now.
I think we have passed the fulcrum so to speak of the ages and the vision now for Christians should be for the anticipation of the second coming of Jesus Christ.
In the first coming of Jesus he came as a Lamb among wolves. The world sees Him as weak and helpless and controlable. Nailed to a cross and left to die.
The second coming of Jesus is a fearful occasion. All nations and peoples will come to Him and bow down and declare that he is Lord,(not Saviour).
One thing that is different about our generation in time is that the earth is experiencing great trauma. Animal species are becoming extinct at an alarming rate. Scientific indications are that the world has about 25 years or less to make some huge changes in our economy and the way we live. As far as I know these startling facts were not present in other generations and times.
I think that we are fast approaching the end of time and the beginning of judgment and reign of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
As the apostle John says at the end of Revelation ‘even so, Come Lord Jesus’ Amen!!
Linda: would agree with your first two sentences but struggle with the rest applying to the season. But thanks anyway for taking time to comment.
I too look forward to this season. I am aiming to have a child-like wonder with the story and the miracle that was Christ’s birth.
Just as with Easter you will have many that just go through the motions – but what a shame! This is a time for us to be thankful and share with others what an awesome gift we have been given.
Hoping to inspire the same awe and excitement in my children. Hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving!
Kim: a child-like wonder is what is needed by all the followers of Christ. It will stop us from going through the motions. I had a fantastic Thanksgiving (the family is here) and hoping you also had one. Thanks for taking time to comment.
I know what you mean, Bill. Glad you found renewed vigor and focus for this season. That’s what it’s all about! I know it’ll be a powerful time. I’m excited about the season as God is showing up in the greatest of ways. I’m very expectant.
Thanks, Bill.
Jason: I am sure as a pastor you do know. I am glad that my friend spoke up and woke me up. Praying God will continue to show up in a big way for you (and me). Thanks.
*Sigh* It has been weird time lately. I guess it has been a mix of being tired from being busy at work, lots of changes, being overly involved at Church (i really need to reassess all the stuff i am doing…)… and as a result, my spiritual life has been dwindling. which stinks, especially considering the holy day coming.
but i thank you for the challenge, for it *is* a challenge to me. it’s too easy to take for granted the Story, but i don’t want to. I don’t want to get used to it.
so… thanks, Bill.
and WOW, I LOVE Dan Drewes’ banner! It’s awesome!
Zee: know what you mean about it being a weird time. So easy for that to happen. I am praying that you will find your heart again. 🙂 And glad you like Dan’s banner. I will tell him!
Bill,
Just hold a worship service. No sermon. No message. Maybe a simple reading out of The Scriptures to proclaim the birth of Christ and then go right into worship.
Keep it intimate. Keep it pure. I would say that the less anyone spoke, the better, but if folks wanted to speak aloud the wonders of God, that would be pretty darn cool.
NOT trying to tell you what to do! 🙂
Please consider this a recommendation based on what a non-denominational, non-church-going fella would like to see, IF he decided to return to mainline christianity.
I look forward to your posting on what you will do for this occasion.
Donald in Bethel, CT
Good idea Donald but a little late for that at this point. 🙂 I know what I will do though. I will use the Magi’s response to the King to elicit a similar response from us. One of worship and devotion. Thanks for the suggestion.
1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
2and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
4When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
5“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’d”
7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
11On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
I used to get this way with alter calls. But then I realized how many people come to church, looking, or just listening, on the way to becoming. And I realize they aren’t wasted. I’m with you though – trite, cliché preaching at Christmas makes me snarky. Maybe that’s because preaching should never be trite and cliché, period.
I have little money (actually a little less than that). People I know and love understand that the gifts they get from me at Christmas will mostly be – well – me. My time, my help, my love. I can afford these things (and I save on wrapping paper).
Maybe it’s because I can’t “give” in the worldly sense that Christmas remains to me a time of drawing close to the manger and wondering that the God of all – left it all – to come here – be one of us.
Sometimes I think the sacrifice on the cross wasn’t the hardest thing for Our Lord to do. It was just leaving where he was – and being here. Here isn’t so bad if it’s the only thing we know. But to know the eternal, to inhabit love, and to forego it and walk where everything hurts, and everything is broken, and nobody listens, and unforgiveness reigns – that is sacrifice.
Thank you Bill for making me ponder these things
Hey Craig: good to hear from you. There are some things we do that do get trite-ish and cliche-ish and can make us snarky. As for the gifts: giving ourselves is the best we can give anyone. I would not apologize for that. Thanks for taking the time to come by and comment. You’re welcome.
Hi Craig,
I went to your site and read what you have to say there about yourself. I want to say ‘Thank You” for your work at educating yourself in the Word of God over the years. I believe that this learning you have applied yourself to is also going to have eternal benefits for you in the future.
I believe the Body of Christ will benefit from you and your learning also in the years that are left before the second coming of Jesus Christ takes place. I also think that your lowly position so to speak in society is a better place to be than in the ‘Christian popularity’ spheres and certainly a much better place than in the ‘hierarchies’ of the World.
God Bless you as you share with us in the Body of Christ what you have learned.
That banner is awesome! Too bad it can’t go on a billboard or on signs right before we rush into the mall 🙂
I would love it if we could make it your way to hear one of these messages. I love the 4 advent principles. I have written them down & hope I can focus more on devotion to God during this season, rather than the materialism we get caught in during this time of the year, or as Ralphie on my favorite, “A Christmas Story” says, he can feel the Christmas noose beginning to tighten. 🙂 I want to focus more on the gift that God gave us through his son rather than all the gifts I feel have to rush around & spend too much money on. Good post Bill, your sincere honesty is always refreshing & eye opening to read.
jan: thanks for the kind words. Gotta agree with you that the banner is awesome! Dan is so talented! God has gifted him greatly. ‘Course you know I would love to see you all come down. It would make it a good day! I like the reference to Ralphie. That movie is a classic. 😛 Hopefully you will be able to find the focus. Always good to hear from you.
How wonderful…
“Christmas this year will shine a little brighter in your hearts as you worship the King.”
I’ve never heard it said more beautifully Bill…
Thank you. Praying that prayer for you…xo
Thank you Robin. It is so good to hear from you. Praying this will be a good season for you and your family as well. Love and hugs to you.