Sermons on Advent Iii:

A Risky Christmas

Contributed by Paul Stokes on Dec 20, 2005

Carol Service sermon focussing on the disturbing ’bad news’ we prefer to leave out of our cosy Christmas celebrations.

I wonder - have you ever thought how risky Christmas is? It’s official. RoSPA - The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents - has issued regular warnings about a whole range of hazards just waiting to happen... all of them arising from what you thought were innocent, Christmas-related ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-18

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Impact Of The Christmas Baby

Contributed by Paul Stokes on Dec 20, 2005

Carol Service sermon asking what impact the Christmas Baby actually has on our lives.

I wonder if you have finished your Christmas shopping yet? I’ve found it fascinating looking to see what "religious" gifts are available. What can you get for that special person which honours the fact that this is, actually, Christmas? What about a Bobble-Head Jesus, specially made to stand on ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Coming Of The King

Contributed by Paul Stokes on Dec 20, 2005

Carol Service sermon focussing on the enjoyment and ignorance that surrounds much of the world’s "Christmas" understanding.

I’m looking forward to visiting Middle Earth in a day or two... J.R.R. Tolkein’s "Lord of the Rings" - having been voted top book in the BBC’s "Big Read" - reaches its conclusion in the third cinema film "Return of the King". It’s so tempting to start drawing on Tolkein’s imagery. The conflict ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:16-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Seeking

Contributed by Paul Stokes on Dec 20, 2005

Carol Service sermon focussing on the search by the Magi and encouraging people to join in that search.

Some of the questions people ask about pregnancy - and answers ! Should I have a baby after 35? (No, 35 children is enough.) How will I know if my vomiting is morning sickness or the flu? (If it’s the flu, you’ll get better.) What is the most reliable method to determine a baby’s sex? ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-18

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Message We Don't Like

Contributed by Paul Stokes on Dec 20, 2005

Carol Service sermon focussing on the ’offensiveness’ of God’s Christmas present to us - the idea that we need ’saving’ from sin!

Someone sent me three facts that prove Jesus was a Mexican! His first name was Jesus; he was bilingual, and he was always being harassed by the authorities. Then again, you can prove he was black - he called everybody "brother", he liked Gospel and he couldn’t get a fair trial. Or maybe he was ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Fact Or Fantasy?

Contributed by Paul Stokes on Dec 20, 2005

Carol Service sermon asking whether we regard the Christmas story as merely a story, or are there facts which should make us sit up and respond?

Christmas is a wasteful time ! Not a waste of time, but a wasteful time. In 1998 the UK threw away 2.5 billion cards, worth £350 million in the shops. If you stuck these cards end to end they would have stretched 236,000 miles - that’s nine times round the globe! We used a massive 85,000 miles ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Faith Or Fear

Contributed by Paul Stokes on Dec 20, 2005

Carol Service sermon looking at responses to Jesus - Herod’s fear and the Magi’s faith.

According to the Daily Mail, being here is good for you! In a section entitled "Making the most of your life" the Mail gave 12 reasons as to why this special time can be good for you and why you should rejoice on Christmas Day, one of which was ’Carol Singing’ It stirs the soul and takes us back ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-18

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Deeper Magic Of Narnia

Contributed by David Woodward on Dec 21, 2005

The Deeper Magic of Narnia explains the substitutionary atonement of Christ as portrayed in the book and movie, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

The Deeper Magic of Narnia Good morning, children. Are you ready for a story from Pastor Woody? Aslan the Lion created the Land of Narnia. It was a land of beauty and peace, but the White Witch was now ruling. How she came to power, we just don’t know. Why Aslan left the land of Narnia, we ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Narnia: Finding Hope In The Middle Of Winter

Contributed by Scott Taylor on Dec 21, 2005

How does one find HOPE in a world under the curse? How does one celebrate when winter is so strong? Romans 8 God gives us three reasons to have hope, even if we find ourselves locked in winter.

Finding Hope in the Winter Narnia 2005 Intro: The land of Narnia was under a perpetual winter for over 100 years. The question we must ask ourselves is what was C.S. Lewis trying to portray with this image. The winter is a picture of what the Bible calls The Fall. It is result of Adam and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1-39

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Here I Am Lord

Contributed by Todd Kornahrens on Dec 24, 2005

We can learn a lot from the faith of young Mary when she encounters the Angel Gabriel

One of the aspects of the Christmas Story that always fascinates and amazes me is the virgin birth of our Lord Jesus It shows us the power of our God, that he can change the rules of nature he can do things that have never been done before to accomplish his will That through the gift of the Holy ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38

Denomination: Lutheran

A Strange Way To Save The World

Contributed by Stephen Colaw on Nov 29, 2005

In contrast to what we would do, God didn’t send a superhero to save the world, he sent His Son, the humble, gentle, loving Christ.

A Strange Way to Save the World Scripture: I Corinthians 1:27-31 Theme: God’s ways are not our ways. He chose to save the world in a way that would bring glory to himself and not to us. Seed: Song “A Strange Way to Save the World” Purpose: To help people understand that God’s view of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:27-31

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Manger Is The Perfect Place For The Messiah To Be Found Series

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Nov 29, 2005

This sermon focuses on the location of the Christ - in the manger - and what significance that has to us today as we prepare for Christmas.

December 14, 2005 The Third Sign of Christmas to Come: Lying in a Manger Luke 2:12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. People don’t normally do their Christmas shopping at Burger King. They go there to eat a Whopper and some fries and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:12

Denomination: Lutheran

The Cry Of The Crier

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Dec 1, 2005

This sermon examines the words of Isaiah - who was told to cry "all men are like grass"! What is the purpose of this cry? What does it point us to? Read and find out.

December 4, 2005 Isaiah 40:6-8 A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:6-8

Denomination: Lutheran

Is Our Message Any Different? Series

Contributed by Steven Dow on Dec 3, 2005

Christmas Realities - Part 2. This Christmas we need to check the reliability of our message because the reality is that there is a lot of fluff out there.

IS OUR MESSAGE ANY DIFFERENT? Christmas Realities – Part 2 December 4, 2005 Mark 1:1-8 INTRODUCTION: Where do you get your news? Network news? 24-hour cable news channel? Newspaper? Internet? Today there are more options than ever before in history for getting your news. In the old days the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:1-8

"Breaking News"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Dec 3, 2005

A sermon for the second Sunday in Advent.

Mark 1:1-8 “Breaking News” By: Rev. Kenneth Emerson Sauer, Pastor of Parkview United Methodist Church, Newport News, VA www.parkview-umc.org “We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you this ‘Breaking News.’” These are the kinds of words that cause us to sit up, call our ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:1-8

Denomination: United Methodist