The Day After Christmas

Title: The Day After Christmas

Text: Luke 2:21-24

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Introduction:

- Today is boxing day, the day after Christmas.

- Many things happen on Boxing Day that don’t happen on Christmas day.

- For example there are some great sales in stores on boxing day.

- The mail boxes are full of flyers advertising the big sale of the year.

- Stores are trying to get rid of Christmas decorations and lights and they go for unbelievable prices.

- Another example is Christmas starts all over again for some families.

- My wife’s side of the family will be coming over to have Christmas gathering. It will be a time of more food, more presents and more people.

- What about the children? What are the children doing the day after Christmas?

- I can only give you my experience from last night.

- After all the presents were opened and we had a fun day of playing with all the toys, did something funny take place.

- Last night both my daughters were asleep in bed, and I went in to check on them.

- I found Jocelyn under her blankets but something was on her.

- She had received a hat and mitt set of Dora and she wore it to bed.

- Sweat coming off her body, but she would not remove the hat and mitt set.

- All I saw from Mackenzie was a big white cat coming from her pillow, face buried in the cat. Of coarse I got pictures of the whole thing.

- These are just some of the things that happen the day after Christmas.

Transition:

- There is a movie called the day after tomorrow, which is about how the world entering a new ice age so it can repair all that pollution has done to the world and start off fresh.

- The movie shows after the ice age a new world of fresh air and a clean environment.

- Well Jesus did the same thing by coming into the world over 2000 years ago.

- He came to align the world with Himself and make it our lives purposeful, peaceful, and joyful.

- Our world will never be the same again because of Christ did. Being born of a virgin, and dying on the Cross.

- It has the power to change people forever.

- So have you ever wondered what happened after Jesus was born?

- 3 things took place that I want to share with you this morning, that will bring meaning to the day after Christmas.

Point 1: Circumcision

- Jesus was circumcised eight days after birth.

- Circumcision symbolized the Jews separation from Gentiles and their unique relationship with God.

Lev 12:3 says, “On the eighth day the boy’s foreskin must be circumcised”

- It was a covenant with God of separation.

- Circumcision today means giving up our sinful lifestyle.

- Circumcision does not bring us closer to God today, but rather having our hearts circumcised according to Rom 2:29 and I Cor 7:19 and they both read:

Rom 2:28-29 says, “A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.”

I Cor 7:19 says, “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts.”

- When we covenant with God, the blessings we receive outweigh what we must give up.

- That is small in comparison to what we are going to inherit both now and in eternity.

- Circumcision was a setting apart.

- So Jesus was circumcised to keep the law, but also to be our example of being separate from the world and living for God by faith.

- Nailing our sinful nature on the cross is what circumcising your heart is all about.

- Submitting to Christ in faith through obedience to His word.

- The next thing that happened the day after Christmas was.......

Point 2: Redemption Of First Born

- Jesus was presented to God one month after His birth.

- The ceremony included buying back, or redeeming the child from God through an offering. This way, the parents acknowledged that the child belonged to God.

- God is the only one who has the power to give life.

(Read Exodus 13:2 and 11-16)

- What does it mean to buy back every firstborn son?

- It was to serve as a reminder of what God had done in Egypt, He spared the oldest son of every house marked with the blood on the doorframe.

- God wanted the Israelites to buy their sons back from Him. This ritual served 3 main purposes: