"The Giver That Keeps On Giving”

When it comes to Christmas there is always an expectancy to hear the Christmas message to hear the prophecy of Isaiah and Luke’s account. These have become staples in the church this time of the year. But since this is the Sunday Night crowd and as I look out among you I am confident that you know the story.

You know about the Shepherd’s in the field, that there was no room in the Inn, you know that there were three Wiseman baring gifts.

Before I go any further let me set this sermon up with a video... Now if that father who gave his son that piece of molded plastic that probably has long been forgot how much more can God do for us?

I fear that the message has lost its meaning it is as much expected as the reciting of the 12 days of Christmas, the placement of a manger has become décor just like Santa and a lit tree.

There are two Sundays in a year that churches everywhere see an increase in attendance. Today being one of those days, the Sunday before Christmas and the other Easter Sunday. It is funny how people will only come to church on these days, for Christmas they come to hear a message on the birth of Christ and in several months they will come back to hear about His death.

In essence people come to church on Christmas for a baby dedication and then will come back on Easter for a funeral!

What so many are missing out on is He is no longer in a manager nor is He in the tomb, but at the right hand of God, and for the child the God He is as close as your heart.

I have tried to figure out why it is that people love to go to church on these two days, is it an obligation, tradition, or could it be convenience; is it easier to come to church on the occasion of birth and death. Does it make it easier to see our judge as a baby and corpse?

Maybe people like the Christmas message so much because they are surrounded by the imagery of a savior as a baby. Maybe baby Jesus makes for a better savior because they have control over Him, they only have to see Him once a year and when they do He is this sweet precious little baby. They set Him where they want Him; they can place Him anywhere in the house on the mantel, coffee table, or end table, but never in the heart. The only words they hear from His mouth are coos.

As you might have guessed this is not going to be your traditional Christmas message. I love this time of year I always have as a child.

This is still a Christmas message, just not the traditional message. On this Sunday before Christmas I want to talk to you a little while about “The Giver that Keeps on Giving”.

I. What does Christmas mean

This is truly a special time of year where it seems like everyone acts a little better. Maybe it’s the music and the atmosphere we try to set one of “Peace on Earth”, whatever it is there is no denying this season does something to people.

Turn on the TV and you will find holiday movies that carry a heartwarming message of love and hope that is unless you are watching a “Lifetime” Christmas there you get an abusive message of despair and melancholy. But beside that little thorn in every mans side you find some kind of encouragement that there is something truly special about this season.

I heard a preacher ask his congregation what would have happened that night in Bethlehem if the promise of a Savior would have never been made. He went on to answer that the shepherds would have stayed in the field, the Wiseman would have never made their journey baring gifts, and a carpenter and a young women would have continued to celebrate their marriage. He talked a great deal about the imagery we have come to expect concerning “the Christmas Story” and no not the one about the little boy and his red rider BB gun, and how it would have made life so much different.

I applaud him for his effort and I understand what he was trying to say but to be correct had God never made the promise that he would give us a Redeemer, life as we know it would not exist. There would be no Bible containing 66 books rather should one have survived it would only have less than 6 short chapters. Everything would have ended at the flood, there would not been any reason to preserve man; Noah would not have a linage to preserve, because God will have never told Adam and Eve and the serpent that he would put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.