’tis The Season Series

INTRO.- ILL.- Frank in Dallas calls his son Eddie in New York just before Thanksgiving and tells him, “I am sorry to tell you but your mother and I are going to divorce. I just cannot take any more of her complaining. We can’t stand the sight of each other any more. I am telling you first, because you are the oldest, please let your sister know about this.”

When Eddie calls his sister Julie, she says: “No way are they getting divorced, I will go over and see them for Thanksgiving.”

Julie phones here parents and tells them both “You must NOT get divorced. Promise you won’t do anything until I get over there. I’m calling Eddie, and we’ll both be there for Thanksgiving. Until then, don’t take any action,” and then she hangs up.

The father puts down the phone and turns to his wife and says. “Good news, honey” he says, “Eddie and Julie are coming for Thanksgiving and they are both paying their own way home.”

Hey, I always paid my way home! And it’s always great to have the family together for Thanksgiving and Christmas. But, of course, that doesn’t always happen for everyone. Many families are separated by hundreds of miles and can’t be together for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

When I was a kid it was never this way, but it’s getting to be the norm. People have to move where the work is and this often means moving away from their family. Some people don’t get to be with their family members during the holidays.

‘Tis the season. ‘Tis the season for family gatherings but that’s not all! If nothing else, this is a very busy time for most people.

Thanksgiving, for most folks, means family, food and for some, football on TV. And, of course, Christmas is just around the corner so that means shopping, running, etc. and especially, if you have children at home.

What’s your big thing to do this time of the year? Go shopping on Black Friday? Avoid shopping on Black Friday? Avoid people and traffic as much as possible? Play Scrooge? And perhaps you are one of those who likes to be right in the middle of everything: shopping, running, visiting, cooking, eating, etc.

We all need to be SOMEWHAT into this wonderful season because we’ve all been blessed by God.

PROP.- Let me suggest some seasonal things for us to do.

1- ‘Tis the season for singing

2- ‘Tis the season for sharing

3- ‘Tis the season for serving

I. ‘TIS THE SEASON FOR SINGING

ILL.- One preacher said, "I was engaged in a series of meetings in a church in San Leandro, California. Looking at the church bulletin my eyes singled out the following announcement, which was all right except for the lack of one single g: “Choir rehearsal this afternoon at 3:30. Everyone who wishes to sin in the choir must come to practice.”

We want our people to sing in the choir, but not “sin” in the choir. And our choir did a great job last Sunday with “Bless This House.” And then the area church choir about blew us away on Sunday night!

It should be obvious that we should sing praise to the Lord or in His honor. Singing is a way of praising Him. And whether we sing well or not, we must still sing praise to Him! He deserves our worship and praise!

ILL.- Christian author, C. S. Lewis wrote: I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.

Praise completes the enjoyment and delight. And this most certainly applies to the Lord. The more we praise Him, the more delighted we become with Him and the better our relationship to Him!

Psalm 5:11 “But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.”

Wow! Could it be that the more we sing praise to the Lord the most He spreads His protection over us? I THINK SO. Another great reason for singing praise!

Psalm 7:17 “I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.”

The Lord is the most righteous of all. We are often quick to heap praise on people for their talent and/or good looks, like those in Hollywood, BUT WHAT ABOUT GOD WHO IS COMPLETELY HOLY!

People are just people. But God is our Heavenly Father and Creator and the one who blesses us daily. He is both right and righteous and certainly deserves our constant thanks and praise!