How To Miss Christmas

4. Try to bear in mind the real meaning of Christmas.

5. If you habitually come away from a Christmas family get-together feeling bad, then look at ways that you can make a difference to someone outside your family this Christmas.

And a final source of trouble at Christmas…

c. Physical (I was close…sounds like “F”)

Winter is a time when we all deal with sickness.

From sinus drainage to colds to bronchitis…or worst.

It can be a trying time for us when we want to be healthy, and we think we need to be healthy, but we’re not.

Somethings we can’t avoid, and sickness is one of them.

My suggestion is focus on getting healthy so that you can do what you think needs to be done, and make that your priority.

I have no problem telling people that they are not doing anyone any good if they are on their back, sick and unable to move…so don’t let yourself get there!

So, the first way to miss Christmas, troubles.

A 2nd way from our passage is…

2. Selfishness, vs. 7

Herod had one priority in his life…himself.

The number 1 thing for him was keeping his number 1 rating.

His main thing was to keep him the main thing…and he did whatever he had to do in order to protect himself alone.

Family…a stumbling block.

Friends…stepping stones.

Enemies…squish them.

While Herod is the extreme on selfishness, it is still easy for us to get to that point at Christmas.

We give and we give and we give and inevitably we want to say “Hey, what about me?”

We need to protect ourselves from becoming self focused, self centered and selfish.

Found an old song last night on YouTube by Lulu Roman (of Hee Haw fame)…called “The Never Ending Shopping List”

Lord I need to talk to you, there’s so much on my heart.

So many burdens make it hard, I don’t know just where to start.

Thank you for your family, your mercy and your love.

Now on to more important things, I’ll give my magic lamp a rub.

Give me this, I want that, bless me Lord I pray.

Grant me what I think I need to make it through another day.

Make me wealthy, keep me healthy, give me what I wish.

On my never ending shopping list.

Lord you’ve been so good to me, how could I ask for more?

But since you said to ask of you, I guess I will.

For what else is prayer for?

The cattle on a thousand hills, they belong to you.

I don’t need any cows right now, but something else will do! (Chorus again.)

God wants to bless you and bless me, but He wants to bless us to be a blessing.

So, ask for God to bless you, but then seek how you can bless others…and most of all bless Him.

We have seen how troubles can cause us to miss Christmas and selfishness, finally I want us to consider…

3. Excuses, vs. 8

Worship used as an excuse.

How often are we guilty of using “worship” or other things of God as an excuse?

Or better yet, blame God for our own bad choices?

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard someone use “God’s will” as an excuse for their bad decision…I’ll just say my wife may be getting something a lot nicer for Christmas.

Don’t cast blame on God for things that aren’t His fault, and don’t look for excuses to get out of doing the things of God either.