Getting Ready For Christmas

Getting Ready For Christmas

Luke 1: 46-55

Intro: Have you noticed that Christmas is coming? We started our service this morning with the lighting of the candles for the second Sunday of Advent. A time of preparation and anticipation.

. I watched as my Pam and her nieces and my son D J’s girlfriend sat around the kitchen table after the thanksgiving meal.

Thanksgiving was now officially over and the Christmas season had begun. They talked of going out and shopping that night and on onto black Friday as we call it. The realized that there is much preparation involved in Christmas.

. I know of several of our ladies here in the church that shopped all night on thanksgiving night in preparation for Christmas.

. Pam’s birthday is on Wednesday of this week but we celebrated it last night. We spent the evening getting our house ready for Christmas. We put the trees up, yes I said trees, we have more than one tree at my house. We put out all the Christmas things on the tables and decorated the trees. We placed the stockings over the fireplace and did all the other things that you do to prepare your home for Christmas. This is the tradition at our house.

.We see people starting to put lights up on the outside of their houses.

. Some folks really get extravagant in their lights don’t they. Pam says that gaudier they are the better they are.

. There was a movie that came out in 2006 titled “Deck The Halls”. It starred Danny Devito and Matthew Br0derick. It was a comedy about these two guys that get into a competition over the decoration of the outside of their houses for Christmas. Their goal is for their hose to be seen from outer space.

. While the movie is funny, I’m not so sure that there isn’t a lot of truth in the end.

.We all prepare in different ways.

. What happens with many of us is that we get caught up in the physical ramifications of Christmas and neglect the spiritual side of Christmas.

. How do we get ready, how do you get ready for Christmas spiritually.

. No matter what others will try to make it, Christmas was and always will be spiritual.

. Christmas is about mans relationship to God through the birth of a Savior, the Messiah who came to reconcile man with their creator.

. How do you prepare for the spiritual celebration that should be present in all Christians lives?

. In our scripture this morning, we see the reaction and preparation for the first Christmas.

. Mary, the mother of the soon to be born Christ child has been informed by the angel Gabriel that she, among all the women on Earth, has been chosen to be the mother of the long awaited Messiah.

. Gabriel also told her about her relative Elizabeth who was pregnant even in her old age.

. God would use this child from Elizabeth to announce to the world that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah. Elizabeth’s child would grow up to be John the Baptist.

. Mary went to see Elizabeth and she was filled with the Holy Spirit and confirmed what the angel had told Mary..

. In Luke 1:42 &44 Elizabeth tells Mary:

. “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.”

. “You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

. Mary’s response to this is what is called the Magnificant or Mary’s song.

. We find it in Luke 1: 46-55

. 46Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.

47How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

48For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.

49For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.

50He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.

51His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.

52He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble.

53He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.

54He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful.

55For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”

. Mary responded to the birth of Jesus first with:

.Joy

. Look at verses 46&47 again

. 46Mary responded,“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.

47How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

. The Christ Child is coming, what a joyous occasion.

.Mary’s response is one of Joy. The magnificant is also called the song of Mary.

. Mary responded by singing a song of praise to God. This was a verbal offering to God.