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
Notice to Sermon Central Users:
My name is Mike Fogerson, and I pastor a Southern Baptist Church in Chester, Illinois. I have been a long-time user of Sermon Central and truly appreciate its content and contributors. Some of the best sermons I’ve ever preached have been reworked material from this website. As you use the material from my sermon bank, understand that it is work that has been done from not just myself, but from hundreds of other pastors as well. If you see part of your message, or a bunch of your message with my name on it and this upsets you, please email me and I will quickly respond and cite you as the main source. My intent is not to claim someone’s work as my own. I am disclaiming up front that I use the resources from Sermon Central and appreciate the tool. I simply want all those who use my work to know that some of these messages were inspired by the Holy Spirit working through other pastors. Because I do use the messages of other pastors I waive all claims of originality or origin of creativity for the messages posted under my messages. I pray God blesses your preaching ministry for the glory of His Kingdom.
Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
