Christ My Example

SERMON OUTLINE:

The example of Jesus (vs 1-11):

• He Prioritised (vs 5-6)

• He Served (vs 7)

• He Sacrificed (vs 8)

• He Glorified God (vs 9-11)

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• My favourite Christmas joke this year was about Good King Wenceslas;

• Apparently Good King Wenceslas rings up a local pizza restaurant to order a pizza.

• "Certainly your Majesty," says the manager,

• "Will it be your usual? Deep pan, crisp and even?"

Ill:

• 'Twas the week after Christmas, and all through the house,

• Every creature was hurtin', even the mouse.

• The toys were all broken, their batteries dead;

• Dad’s asleep out on the sofa, with ice on his head.

• Wrapping and ribbons still cover the floor,

• The children in unison all shout, “I’m bored!”

• And I in my T-shirt, new Reeboks and jeans,

• Go into the kitchen and start planning to clean.

• When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

• I sprang from the sink to see what was the matter.

• Away to the window I flew like a flash,

• Tore open the curtains, and threw up the sash.

• When what to my wondering eyes should appear,

• But a little white truck, with an oversized mirror.

• The driver was smiling, so lively and grand;

• The clothes he was wearing said "U.K. POSTMAN."

• With a handful of bills, he grinned like a fox

• Then quickly he stuffed them into our letterbox.

• Bill after bill, after bill, they still came.

• Whistling and shouting he called them by name:

• "Here’s one from Tescoe’s, now Asda, and Beals

• Here's one from Harrod's, and Woolworth’s and Teal’s.

• To the tip of your limit, every store, every shop,

• You spent and you spent Oh why didn’t you stop!"

• He smiled and he whistled as he finished his work.

• He filled up the box, and then turned with a jerk.

• He sprang to his truck and he drove down the road,

• Driving much faster with just half a load.

• Then I heard him exclaim with great holiday cheer,

• "Enjoy what you got. . . . . .you'll be paying all year!"

WELL I HOPE THAT WAS NOT YOUR EXPERIENCE OF CHRISTMAS 2012!

• We have as a Church spent our Christmas services thinking about Jesus Christ;

• And rightly so!

• As we noted at our Carol Service – if you take ‘Christ’ out of ‘Christmas’;

• All you are left with is ‘M&S’ (note: ‘M&S’ – ‘Marks & Spencer’ is a UK shopping chain)

• The heart of Christmas is Christ!

• And the desire of every Christian should be to be more like Jesus!

Ill:

• Adoniram (pronounced: Ad-o-ni-ram) Judson;

• Was an American Baptist missionary in the 18th century;

• He served God in Burma for almost forty years.

• At the age of 25,

• Adoniram Judson became the first Protestant missionary;

• Sent from North America to preach in Burma.

• His mission and work led to the formation of the first Baptist association in America,

• He inspired many Americans to become or support missionaries,

• He translated the Bible into Burmese,

• And established a number of churches in Burma.

• One day his wife told him that a newspaper article;

• Had likened him to some of the apostles, he replied,

"I do not want to be like a Paul...or any mere man. I want to be like Christ...

I want to follow Him only, copy His teachings, drink in His Spirit, and place my feet in His footprints...Oh, to be more like Christ!"

• So often we settle for second best;

• Judson only wanted to be like Jesus!

Ill:

• On a wall near the main entrance to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas,

• Is a portrait with the following inscription:

• "James Butler Bonham--no picture of him exists.

• This portrait is of his nephew, Major James Bonham, deceased,

• Who greatly resembled his uncle.

• It is placed here by the family that people may know the appearance of the man

• Who died for freedom."

• No literal portrait of Jesus exists either.

• But the likeness of the Son needs to be seen in each one of us!

• The heart of Christmas is Christ!

• And the desire of every Christian should be to be more like Jesus!

The example of Jesus (vs 1-11).

• Now these verses are a preachers, a theologians dream;

• They tell us so much concerning the unique person of Jesus.

(a).

• They talk about his deity: “Who, being in very nature God”, (verse 6):

• He was and is God. The supreme-being.