A Right Response Series

Introduction – You just might not be responding to Christians properly . . .

If you turn on the lawn sprinklers on Christmas Eve to keep carolers away

If you get your Christmas tree at a rest stop at night

If you give bathroom fixtures as Christmas gifts

If your favorite Christmas movie is Jurassic Park

If your best Christmas tradition involves a fire and reindeer meat

If your favorite pastime is putting defective bulbs in your neighbors’ string of Christmas lights

If your only holiday decoration is a rotting pumpkin

If you buy all of your Christmas gifts at a store that also sells gas

Read Text, Luke 2:8-20

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." 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." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

The shepherds had the right response! Informed by an angel, a new savior was born they had but one response. To seek out the Christ child and that was the right response.

• How do we respond to day to the news that God has become flesh and dwelled among us?

• How do we respond to the fact we are free from the bondage of sin?

• How do we respond to the baby born in a manger, sent to die for our sins and desires to be a part of our lives?

We are in a series of messages titled – “I’m dreaming of a RIGHT Christmas”

We have discovered to have a right Christmas we must have a right focus – Jesus

We learned to have a right Christmas we must have a right pace – marked by peace

Today I want you to know if you are going to have a right Christmas you must have a right response to Christmas.

You can tell a lot about a person by how they respond to certain situations.

One of my favorite stories is about a man who went to the doctor and ran into a mean spirited nurse at the desk. He said ma’am, I have this place on my chin and I would like to see a doctor. She barked, down the hall first door on your right, take off all of your clothes. He said I don’t think that will be necessary it just a spot on my chin, she snapped back, down the hall first door on your right, take off all of your clothes. He said ma’am it is just, she said down the hall first door on your right, take off all of your clothes. The man finally gave up, went down the hall first door on his right, he went into the room. There sat a man in his boxer shorts just shivering, it was kind of an awkward moment, so the other man tried to break the ice, stating, boy that sure is a mean spirited nurse, tell me about it, I am the UPS driver.

We have all met people we have not responded to favorably. People who rub us the wrong way or simply do not see things our way, but how do you respond to the news a savoir has been born?

How do you respond to Christmas?

Our society has responded to Christmas in several ways this year…

• We have played with the meaning of words

Is it Christmas or Happy Holidays?

• There has been a firestorm of controversy has some of the mega churches have canceled services on Christmas day.