So What's The Big Deal?

I was at el aztek cafe and the waitress there told me a story that illustrates why we need to tell the story at Christmas time

Her little grandson whom she is quite convinced is the most beautiful little boy in all the world was told 5 or 6 months that mommy and daddy would be having another baby soon.

This little 4-year-old boy went ballistic and told his parents I was praying for another baby! Im still gonna pray all the time until the baby is here.

Just last week grand ma asked him what do you think the baby is going to be a boy or a girl. He chimed up and said oh it will be a boy! He said with confidence Im gonna have a little brother.

The little boys mommy said we’ll since your praying about all this you need to ask God because its up to him if its a girl or a boy.

The little boy said “DANG” and hitting his forehead he said I forgot al about him Iv been praying to Santa Claus

IT’S REAL EASY TO LEAVE JESUS OUT OF CHRISTMAS

SO IT IS SO IMPORTANT THT WE CONTINUE TO TELL THE STORY OF CHRISTMAS

Every year at Christmas and at Easter time we preachers tend to fell the pressure to keep from preaching an IV HEARD IT ALL BEFORE sermon. Sometimes we feel a little like Bullwinckle say “HEY ROCKY WATCH ME PULL A RABBIT OUT FROM OUT OF MY HAT”.

BECAUSE you want it to be fresh and new, you want to add to people’s arsenal and give them something they haven’t had before but my experience at El Aztec shows the importance of telling the story again and again.

I remember the words to this old hymn:

"I love to tell the Story, for those who know it best Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest."

The Christmas story is timeless. Tell it. Preach the miracle of the Incarnation. Tell it simple and straightforward, and trust the Holy Spirit to keep it fresh and alive and meaningful to the people we preach it to

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU THINK OF CHRISTMAS?

Santa clause, childhood memories, candy canes, Christmas tress lots of presents, lights on the houses, the nativity scenes, the shopping, The Christmas movie season, cold weather, Big family dinners....

WHAT DO I THINK OF WHEN I THINK OF CHRISTMAS

One of the things that blows us away and tends to impress everybody at one time or another in their life is when somebody reaches beyond themselves and does something completely out of their character in order to do something for someone else.

When the warrior makes peace, When the man of peace stands firm, When the wealthy give, When the poor give more, When those who have great power refrain from force, When those who are oppressed speak boldly, When the person of great strength is kind, When the person of great kindness shows strength, When the one who has hurt another apologizes, When the one who is injured forgives, When the great speaker listens, When the quiet listener speaks,

When God become human, When a man dies to give life.

its no wonder are impressed with Christmas

The whole world pagan and Christian recognizes the birth of Christ in some way or another.

The calendar itself is split down the middle and how we measure time is marked as before and after the birth of Christ. Christmas

WHY IS IT A BIG DEAL ?

IT IS WHEN GOD MAD HIMSELF HUMAN

HOW DO WE KNOW THEN THAT JESUS WAS GOD MADE TO BE HUMAN

Ultimately we know he was God because he was bigger than death and he slapped it in the face. If you were to ask me how do we know that he really was resurrected then I would say that’s a good sermon for Easter.

HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THIS BABY WAS GOD IN THE FORM OF MAN?

HEBREWS 11:3 THORUGH FAITH WE UNDERSTAND

When you are asked to believe you are not asked to check your brain at the door.

You are asked to trust and when you do trust, God gives you understanding of what you believe.

YOU ARE NEVER ASKED TO CHECK YOUR BRAIN AT DOOR

You are asked to check your Pride, you are asked to check your dignity

You are asked to check your own prejudices and preconceived ideas at the door

and that’s what the world is not able to do

Jesus did not come into existence 200o yrs ago he simply was born in the flesh 2000 yrs ago. He’s always been around

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 The same was in the beginning with God.