Video Why Do We Celebrate Christmas
Slide #1 Welcome to Vista Pointe
We are so glad that you chose to be with us this evening for this very special service.
It’ true…Christmas is a very special time of year.
Statistics show that more people meet together during this holiday than any other holiday throughout the year.
And I think there is a reason that this is true…Over 2000 years ago God gave the world the greatest gift that could ever be given.
And my hope and prayer is that before you walk out those doors…If you do not about this gift…you take the time to receive it.
I would ask that you stand this evening as I share with you the “Truth of Christmas” found in Luke Chapter 1:26-38.
SLIDE#2
“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary.
She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.
28 Gabriel (Angel)appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.
30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.
32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.
33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
So the baby to be born will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God.
36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age!
People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.”
38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.”
Prayer… Thanks for the gift…
SLIDE #3
One of the most anticipated, exciting, and cared about holidays of the year is Christmas.
To the children around the world… it is thought to be the most wonderful day of the year.
To a child the mystery of unopened presents is almost overwhelming at times.
The excitement of waking up early… on Christmas morning and peeking around the corner…glancing…to see if Santa has visited there home…is almost too much to handle.
For the adults…as we feed off our children’s excitement… we often find ourselves re-living our own childhood experiences from years past.
How many of us here can still remember the sleepless nights before the big day!
I can personally remember patiently sitting at the top of our staircase… listening…waiting… just to hear my parents voices say OK…come on down and see what Santa has left for you.
And finally the anticipation was over… down the stairs I would shoot…
Around the corner I would slide…first noticing all the large and small…colorful wrapped presents just waiting to be torn open…just to see what was hidden inside.
It’s true…Christmas is a wonderful time of year…But what if there were more to the story of Christmas…
During the busyness of the holidays it’s much too easy to become distracted with the routine of the season…while forgetting about the true meaning of Christmas?
For most of us here tonight… Christmas… has a personal spiritual significance…
While maybe for some… it has simply become just another high priced holiday.
Christmas can be the most wonderful day of the year for you if you are just willing to remember what the season is all about?
Tonight I would like to share with you the story of Christmas told as an illustration …
“It begins like this”
I had just finished picking up the house for the night and was preparing to go to bed after a long day’s work… when I heard a noise.
SLIDE #4 -Angel
As I looked up… and to my surprise…I noticed an Angel looking at me… then all of a sudden she began to move towards me…
Surprised of this I began to speak out when…she reached forward and placed her hand over my mouth… keeping me from speaking.
All I could think about was find out “Why she was there?” As I glanced up towards her face I noticed… tears beginning to form in her eyes….
I became puzzled…Why tears / why now on Christmas?
I thought to myself…Christmas should be the happiest time of the year.
If this were true that there was more to Christmas…then why did she have tears?
SLIDE #5
Then suddenly she spoke out and said these words… “Teach the People to remember”
Remind them of what happened many years ago in the town of Bethlehem…
Tell them of how God sent an angel name Gabriel to visit a teenaged girl named Mary and her betrothed Husband named Joseph
To share with them both the exciting news of them bringing the Savior of this world to life.
SLIDE #6
Then all of a sudden with one quick movement the Angel handed me a STAR. (Have child plug in tree topper)
She motioned for me to carry it over to my Christmas tree and place it on top.
She said…“Remind the people that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago.
It was to be used to guide people from darkness to light.
Leading those who traveled from a far…to the light of this world.
God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise.
Slide #7
** Next I was handed a CANDLE. (Have Child turn the lights on tree)
“The Angel then told me to… tell the people that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world.
When we accept this light, it should remind us to share good news with those who are lost in the darkness.
We are not to conceal it or hide it…instead… we are to let it shine before all men…It has the power to change lives.
And we should always use its glow to draw men to Christ just as it did many years ago.
SLIDE #8
Next the angel handed me a piece of Pine Fir…
(Have child place small fir on Christmas tree)
As the Pine Fir was hung on the tree…the angel said…Remind the people to notice that the reason that the pine remains green all year round…
Is to represent the everlasting hope of mankind…
Many years ago… life itself began in the green beauty of the Garden of Eden...
Eden was the place where Adam and Eve both daily walked hand in hand with God Himself.
God has always had a plan for mankind since the beginning of time.
SLIDE #9
**The Angel now handed me 3 Gifts and said, (Three Men)
The star was used to guide the Wiseman and Shepherds so they could find and worship the New Born King in Bethlehem…
They journeyed so they could bow down before a Holy Child and presented Him with Gifts of royalty.
The gift of Gold was given to honor His Kingship and divinity which is like God.
The gift of Frankincense was given to honor His Deity and represented His Holiness and Righteousness.
And the gift of Myrrh was given to honor His Humanity which from the beginning was destined for death.
The Angel then said to me that we should always give our gifts in the same spirit of these Wiseman.” With no expectation of return.
She also said that we should never hoard what God has generously given us.
In the Bible we do read that… “It is much better to give than receive.”
SLIDE # 10
** Next the angel handed me a WREATH. (Have a child place wreath on tree)
“She said to tell the people …the wreath symbolizes the real love of God.
She said that there would be many times in our lives that we don’t deserve this love…
But still Christ loved us so much that He sent His only son to live among us and teach us the power of this love.
She said to also notice that the shape of the wreath is round…God’s love encompasses all around us…it’s never ending…and it never ceases.
Christ desires for us to duplicate this love by sharing its beauty with our family and friends.
SLIDE # 11
**Next the angel handed me a CANDY CANE. (Child)
She then told me to share with the people that the candy cane represents the life of Jesus.
The crook on the Shepherds staff was used to lead back stray sheep who have wandered away from the flock.
Jesus shared with us in John 10:11 that… “I am the good Shepherd…The good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep”
The Sheppard’s job is to protect …too guide… to love and care for those who are lost…
SLIDE # 12
Then the Angel handed me a Christmas Bulb that had the appearance of a mirror. (Child)
She told me… whenever I walked by and glanced into the bulb and saw my own reflection…this was to remind me… that I might be the only Jesus that people will ever see!
I was also told to always live a life that honors the Father. Because you never know who might be watching.
She then reminded me that soon… The Savior of the world will return to call His Children/flock home.
SLIDE # 13
**She next handed me 2 Items… Cranberry…and a Spike
The Angel then explained that the dark red color of the berries represented the blood of Christ that was shed for mankind years ago on the cross at Calvary.
Jesus was sent to die a cruel death on a cross…
It was at that very moment that I understood why Jesus death on the cross had to happen.
It was because of my sin…
As I looked up… the Angel tears began to run down her cheeks…as she explained to me how large spikes were driven thru His hands and feet…holding Him to the cross.
I began to cry out why…As she comforted me with saying…without Him going…there would be no forgiveness of sin.
At that very moment…my heart was breaking…it was my fault.
The angel then paused … looked directly into my eyes as she handed me the…last item.
SLIDE #14
** She handed me a White Dove. (I place this on tree)
The Angel explained to me that because of every mans sin Christ had to die on a cross…
But because of His sacrifice… there is forgiveness for our sins.
The white dove represents eternal life that was offered because of that dark day.
Then as quick as the Angel had appeared to me… she was gone…
It was at that time that the visit made sense…all the items that were now hanging on my tree… represent what most people who celebrate Christmas forget about .
We are to share with people the good news, share God’s love, share His story, and share His sacrifice.
Tonight I ask that you don’t forget what Christmas is all about…don’t forget what Christ has offered to you as a gift.
If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior…Why not make this your best Christmas ever. Receive the best gift that was ever offered…Receive Him!
Slide #15
Sing Christmas Carols…
Light candles on last song.
