Sermons on Luke 2:12-18:

Christmas Expectations Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

There is no other holiday like Christmas, where expectation is so much a part of it's celebration. We look forward to Christmas, longer, and with greater anticipation, then all other holidays combined.

Henry McCushy, of the Texas Employment Commission, said they had a hard time getting men to be department store Santa Clauses, one year. The reason was, the high percentage of children who were kicking Santa in the shins for not coming through the year before. They expected Santa to live up to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-32

The Approachable God Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

To find the Child-that was the goal. Anything that takes us off the path that leads to Christ is not part of God's plan. The job of the angels and the star was finished when the shepherds and the wise men bowed before the Christ-child.

Lucy is expounding on the meaning of Christmas and she says, "this is the time of the year that we show kindness and good will, when we accept others and welcome them into our home." Charlie Brown says, "why can't we be kind and accepting all through the year and not just at ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Christmas Babies Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

Jesus is the only person in history who chose to be a baby. This tells us just how important the baby centeredness of Christmas is to Him. The message of Christmas is not that the angels came; that the shepherds came, or that the wise men came, but that the baby came.

Elenor Cicok had a three year old daughter who developed an emotional block and ceased to talk. She never said a word, not even mama when she wanted her mother. It was a terrible ordeal as she went month after month in silence. Her mother taught her about God and prayer, and read to her about ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Christmas Is Contagious Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

The fastest way to get infected with the spirit of Christmas is to start praising God for what He has done for you through His Son. This sort of praise is very contagious. If you let it start coming out of your mouth, before you know it, it has infected your heart.

Celestine Sibley tells of her father saying to her mother one grayish December morning, "the lumber business is going badly. It looks like a poor Christmas this year." She cried out, "A poor Christmas-shame on you! There is no such thing as a poor Christmas! Times can be hard and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

A Savior Is Born Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

Christmas is still the good news that unto you is born a Savior. It is still a message of hope, joy, and peace that causes men to glorify and praise God.

When I was a shoeshine boy back in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 1945, I remember being down town when suddenly horns began to blow, bells ring, whistles shriek, and people everywhere in the streets, and stores began to sing, hug, laugh, and shout. Paper began flying from the windows all over ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

The Season For Seeing Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

God made the message of Christmas a visual message to appeal to the eyes. Christmas from day one has always been a season for seeing. By His coming into the world Jesus changed how men see reality. He changed how man sees God and history, and how he sees the role of man and the goal of God.

Mr. and Mrs. Nudelman were on a 50th wedding anniversary trip to Paris where they visited the Louvre. As they slowly walked past the masterpieces of the ages, Mrs. Nudelman stopped in front of a huge Renaissance painting called, The Child In The Manger. As she stood there, Mr Nudelman asked her ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

The Sights Of Christmas Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

The challenge for all of us is to go into this Christmas season determined to see in the sights of Christmas that which makes us praise God and want to be part of His light in this dark world. Let your prayer be, open my eyes Lord, I want to see Jesus.

Hal Bowser said, "the most exciting gift I've ever received was the microscope my parents gave me for Christmas when I was eleven." The first thing he did on that Christmas day was to go out in the back yard and get some water from a rain puddle. He put a drop under his microscope ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Christmas Silence And Song Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

Christmas was both a night of silence and a night of song. If you read through the Christmas hymns in a hymnal you will see these two themes stand out often, some with a focus on the silence and others with a focus on the song.

Paradox is simply the recognition that opposites can both be true. The Christmas story is loaded with paradoxes. The most profound revolving around the Christ-Child Himself: The eternal Son born into time and the Infinite Spirit embodied in finite flesh. The creator of all space having no room in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Christmas Stuff Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

Jesus created all of the stuff of this material universe, and in His Incarnation He became personally involved with the animal, mineral, and vegetable kingdom. His goal is to redeem all of His creation from the effects of the fall, so that even stuff is a part of the plan of salvation.

Back in October of 1948, a young pastor and his wife took on the challenge of repairing and restoring an old church. Their goal was to have it done by Christmas Eve. But just two days before Christmas a storm dumped over an inch of rain, and the roof leaked, and right in front of the church the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Christmas Trivia Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

We are to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, but sometimes they seem so trivial we tend to ignore them. Christmas trivia is a good example. Dr. Luke was a man of detail, and he records for us a number of things that can be called Christmas trivia.

One of the great paradoxes of Christmas is that almost everything the Bible tells us about this most sacred event, is secular in nature. It is filled with what is temporal rather than eternal; physical rather than spiritual; and world oriented rather than heaven oriented. Christmas is really a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-14

The Wonder Of Christmas Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

Just scratching the surface of a match can cause it to burst into flame and though that is all we can do with Luke's record, scratch the surface, it is hoped that this will kindle a flame of wonder in our hearts for Christmas.

Typical of last minute Christmas shoppers, a mother was running furiously from store to store. Suddenly she became aware that the pudgy little hand of her three year old son was no longer clutched in hers. In a panic she retraced her steps and found him standing with his little nose pressed ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Togetherness Series

Contributed by Russ Barksdale on Nov 14, 2017

How does the Christmas story remind us about the value of relationships? When relationships get difficult, Jesus brings us together. When we feel isolated, Jesus brings us together. When Jesus brings us together, that is something to be treasured.

December 18 Togetherness Luke 2:1-20 How does the Christmas story remind us about the value of relationships? 1. When relationships get difficult, Jesus brings us together 2:1-5 (on screen) Matthew 1:18-21 2. When we feel isolated, Jesus brings us together 2:6-15 (on ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Christmas Stinks! Series

Contributed by Lynn Malone on Nov 20, 2017

There is much that stinks in this world, but Jesus' birth in a smelly manger reminds us that Jesus can be born in us. A brief sermon for Christmas Eve.

Christmas stinks! Or, so would say the Grinch who stole Christmas. You remember the Grinch? The slinky, green ogre of a character created by Dr. Seuss whose heart was too small to love and appreciate Christmas. We know the story. All the Who’s down in Whoville make the Grinch cringe with all their ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: Methodist

Characters Of Christmas: The Shepherds Series

Contributed by Lynn Malone on Nov 20, 2017

A look at the shepherds around the manger.

History and pop culture have given a cast of characters to surround us at Christmas. The characters evoke smiles, joy, reverence, excitement, anticipation and happy memories. Some, like Santa Claus have sacred beginnings, but most are purely secular in nature. That’s okay, for they still bring joy ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Denomination: Methodist

Characters Of Christmas: The Angels Series

Contributed by Lynn Malone on Nov 20, 2017

A look at the angels around the manger.

Let’s talk about angels. The prominence of angels in the Christmas story is obvious, from the Christmas card we send, to the decorations on our trees, to the adornment of our yards, we’re surrounded by angels. We even have an angel hanging in our front yard here at FUMC in the Nativity scene. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38, Matthew 1:20-24, Luke 2:9-15

Denomination: Methodist