"'tis The Season"

Introduction: You know it’s Christmas when…

1. You catch yourself checking your “to-do” list twice.

2. You’re ready to offer a cash reward to anyone who can find the Sears wishbook.

3. You’re willing to eat Christmas baking right out of the freezer.

4. You find yourself randomly humming Christmas songs.

5. You begin threatening your children that “Santa’s watching”.

6. We decorate with thousands of lights and don’t worry about the power bill.

7. For no other reason, the world seems to be a friendlier place.

8. You find yourself sneaking into obscure places in the house to try to find hidden gifts.

9. When you daydream, visions of sugar plums begin dancing in your head.

10. You can wear a red Santa hat with anything and be in style.

Signs of Christmas are all around us -- we can’t miss it! Or can we? How can we be sure we don’t miss Christmas?

1. A season for Reflection.

- thinking, considering what is; what should be and what should not be

- when we look into a mirror - this is what we do - the mirror brings truth into what we do

- Perhaps this is a time when we can reconsider the truth that Jesus Christ brought to us.

2. A season for Refocusing.

- It is easy to focus on the things that are the loudest; the brightest; the grumpiest; the most irritating, etc.

- Christmas is a season to take our eyes off of the seemingly urgent, timely demands and focus upon the important, timeless things of life

- The shepherds left behind their herds, the wisemen left behind their treasures, Mary & Joseph left behind a life of normalcy - but all left the manger with more than what they came with.

- What are we going to take our eyes off of in order that we may gain a more meaningful understanding of Christ?

3. A season for Reaching out.

- We often times talk about how WE are going to spend Christmas. How about asking how others are going to spend their Christmas?

- the lonely, the needy, the spiritually hungry

- perhaps this is a season of forgiveness and/or mercy

- After all - this whole season is based on a God who chose to reach out.

Remember, Christmas was God’s idea -- not Wal-Mart’s or anyone else. So if we are to be sure not to miss Christmas, let’s turn our hearts to the One who started it all.