Sermons on Pagan Christmas:

Christmas Doldrums

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Dec 18, 2019

John the Baptist lost his certainty of who Jesus was. We can suffer from the "doldrums," too.

December 15, 2019 Hope Lutheran Church Rev. Mary Erickson Isaiah 35:1-10; Matthew 11:2-11 Christmas Doldrums Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” The John the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:2-11

Denomination: Lutheran

The Christmas Blues

Contributed by Dennis King on Dec 19, 2019

During this holiday season minor problems seem to grow

Some people are strongly affected by the “Christmas Blues.” Minor problems seem to grow in magnitude during this season which should be devoted to 'glad tidings and joyfulness. It seems we've all have some problems from time to time. I'm not talking about trivial things like; what ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 16:11-12, James 1:14, Mark 14:34-36

Denomination: Baptist

A Christmas Of Contrasts Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 23, 2019

As we consider the first Christmas season, we are struck with contrasts that illustrate how God works in His providence and among people.

A Christmas of Contrasts (Luke 2:7, 16-19; Matthew 2:1-10) 1. What Christmas memories do you have? “When I was 9 years old, I ran into my mom and dad’s room to wake them up to open presents. I tripped over a rug while I was running and smashed my teeth against my parent's bedpost. Blood was ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:7, Luke 2:16-19, Matthew 2:1-11

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Christmas Hymn

Contributed by Michael Stark on Dec 24, 2019

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul appears to cite a hymn to extol Christ as Lord. The message, designed to be delivered on Christmas Eve, explores this hymn as Paul presented it.

By common confession, the secret of our godly worship is great: In flesh was he revealed to sight, kept righteous by the Spirit’s might, adored by angels singing. To nations was he manifest, believing souls found peace and rest, our Lord in heaven reigning! [1], [2] From earliest days, the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:16

Denomination: Baptist

The Christmas Story

Contributed by Anthony Zibolski on Jan 10, 2020

4th Week of Advent and we are looking at the main characters of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, and Zachariah

The Christmas story Matthew 1:18-25 Introduction- We are in the 4th week of advent- Each week we lit a candle of the advent wrath and here we are in the final week. Tuesday night at our Christmas Eve service, (7pm) we will light the Christ candle- Christ fulfilling the promise of God. The ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Denomination: Nazarene

Waiting For Christmas Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

We need to remember, Christmas is a celebration, not of what might be or of what we hope to see happen, it is a celebration of a sure thing that has already happened. God has come down to man to dwell with him.

In 563 BC, a son was born to a ruler in India. The local astrologers predicted he would either be a great ruler or a world renowned ascetic. His father wanted to prevent that, so he sheltered his child from all contact with suffering of any kind. The little prince was to never see life's ...read more

Scripture: Haggai 2:1-9

Christmas Secrets Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

The secret of the star is based on the fact that the more precious the gift the greater the secrecy connected with it. A precious gift is meant to be a surprise and so it is kept secret.

C.S. Lewis is one of the most read and most quoted Christian scholars of the 20th century, but he had to endure the burden of a very heavy secret in his life. He fell in love with a divorced woman and his church, the church of England, forbid marriage to one who was divorced. Joy Davidman, the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:16-25

Paradoxes Of Christmas Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

John says not only did the Word become flesh but He dwelt among us. He not only became one of us, He became one with us. Christmas is not only the celebration of birth but of relationship.

Little Hattie, determined to give her hero the highest image and magnify his achievements, wrote the following in her history examination-"Abraham Lincoln was born Feb. 12, 1809, in a log cabin which he built himself." Lincoln was indeed a great man but historians, I think, are ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-14

The Foolishness Of Christmas Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

Let's look at the foolishness of Christmas and see just how wise it really is. The foolishness of God is very simply the foolishness of love. True love tends to be foolish for it takes risks.

A large number of life's greatest blessings start out as stupid, moronic foolishness in the eyes of many people. This was the case with Samuel Morse, a pastor's son and an artist who left his art for a new idea. He thought that a message could be sent by means of electricity. He labored ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

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

The Complexity Of Christmas

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

We often see the first Christmas though rose colored glasses tinted by centuries of tradition. But the plain facts are that Mary and Joseph had a very difficult time with all the events surrounding that first Christmas.

Approaching the Christmas season in 1972, Fred Putman decided to have a evening in front of a cozy fire. He used two boxes of matches, one pint of started fluid, and the Sunday addition of the New York Times, and still could not get the fireplace burning. Bent on romance by fire-light, he decided ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:18-45

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

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

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

Christmas And The Cross

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 8, 2021

It is possible to look forward to a merry Christmas in full awareness that we live in a world of misery. Just as there is nothing inconsistent with taking medicine to feel better in a world of sickness, so there is nothing inconsistent with a merry spirit in a world of misery.

Dr. Samuel Upham, a theological professor and a man of great learning, was dying. The family was gathered around his bed and someone said I believe he is already dead. Someone else said his feet are still warm and nobody ever dies with warm feet. Dr. Upham opened one eye and said, "Joan of ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2