Christmas Eve 2015

A We are 6 hours away from Christmas ....

1 Our gifts are all wrapped, credit cards glowing cherry red from use . . .

a We’ve checked our list twice to make sure we’ve got everybody covered . . .no one is left out.

b Spouse, kids, moms, dads, friends, family...we don’t won’t to forget anybody.

2 A Christmas tradition that many of us grew up with were stockings hung on the mantle, tv, or somewhere.

a On Christmas or Christmas Eve we found those stockings stuffed with candy, fruit, small gifts. . .not a year passed without that little red stocking stuffed with goodies.

b Somebody remembered you, thought of you.

B Tonight, we’ve got a gift for all the people on our list...

1 In the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season is it possible that we forgot to give anything to the One that was born 2,015 years ago?

a What’s in the stocking for Him?

aa What can you bring Him, give Him?

bb More of your time (in His Word, talking to Him through prayer).

cc A few more Sunday’s in the coming year?

dd Clean up the way you talk/think. . .make it more glorifying to Him.

b If somebody read your obituary would they be surprised you were a Christian? Loved Jesus and His Kingdom?

2 Maybe you need something more concrete to do.

a Matthew 25:40 (NASB) “ . . .'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'

b Go out of your way to help somebody out with a kind word, helping hand, gentle hug . . . just to let them know that you love them in the name of Jesus.

3 As we refocus our hearts on the owner of the center stocking, while Montana & Andrew sing, think on what you could give Jesus tonight. Let’s not leave our Savior off the list of people we give a gift to this Christmas.

A For some of us, there will be family missing from this year’s Christmas pictures that were there in the past.

1 Some of them have been gone for a long time but we still miss them . . .We always miss them, especially this time of year.

a God made us to have relationships, love one another.

b When those people are missing we’re going to hurt & ache because our hearts have been wounded and bruised.

c It doesn’t make you a bad or weak Christian . . . makes you a person who loved someone else . . . and you miss them.

2 Jesus wept over the death of His friend Lazarus . . . I think He’s alright with us remembering those we won’t be in this years pictures.

B As the next song is sang, I invite you to allow yourself to remember those who aren’t with you this year.

SING: CHRISTMAS IN HEAVEN

C There are tears, grief, sorrow, sadness but thanks be to God . . .there is also hope.

1 There is a tie that eternally binds our hearts in Christian love, a circle, that through Christ, which cannot be broken.

2 I invite you to come forward one row at a time. . .

a to light a candle in remembrance of your loved ones, take Communion in remembrance of your Lord.

b Once you’ve light a candle and taken Communion in remembrance . . . please return to your seats and sit in silent reverence

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Respectfully,

Mike Fogerson