Twas The Night Before Christmas Series

Let read the loved Christmas story

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

Wait that’s not the real story

Luke 2:8-20

"8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told" (NIV).

As I think about what Christmas means

and why we even do all of this it just makes me ask the question why

Why would God want to do any of this for us

After all we have not earned it and definitely do not deserve it

It’s funny how things work

I was driving home from FL on Monday and after I convinced myself not to turn around

I started to think about the message for tonight

Everything I thought of just didn’t fit

All of a sudden I thought of something that I had just said to my Son Isaiah

He had told me “thanks for always being there for me

I said "Yeap

Just remember

I’m here because I want to not because I have to".

Our Father in heaven takes this to an even higher level

He does not have to love us

But He loves us so much that he sent his only begotton Son

See in Life the world keeps telling us that we are not worth anything

The world tells us we are failures

But God tells us that we are worth more then all the Gold and Silver in the world

That he wants a relationship with us so bad that he sent he son to pay our debit

And we remember that tomorrow as we celebrate his birthday

When we think about the birth of Jesus we are reminded how much we are loved

Even when we feel lost in a defeated world were not

When we feel that we just can’t fight any more

Remember that Jesus came to fight our fight

And by the way he has already won the battle

And when you feel that you are all alone

Look up

Because Jesus is Standing right beside you

So today as we sing our songs to remember the birth the baby Jesus

Our Lord and Savior

We need to remember that as Christians We have been adopted in to the Family of God

That we are Gods Children

That now we can stand strong because we know who we are

It does not matter what others or what the world tells us

It does not matter what others try to say about us

We know who we are because God of Father has Call us to be part of his family

And what God thinks of me and us is all that matters

That is where I will find my identity

I will not allow the world to define me by who I was yesterday

Because of that little baby that was born alittle over 2000 years ago

I am a new creation

So this Christmas I will enjoy the family time

I will enjoy the gifts and giving

I will enjoy the food

But Im going to remember the greatest gift that God has ever Given anyone of us