Worship Fully Series

Those Who Refuse to Worship

As I read through the nativity narrative, I see two groups who won’t worship. I wonder if you find yourself in one of them.

1. The Intolerant. That would be hateful Herod. He goes crazy in his attempts to kill the Christ of Christmas. Maybe that describes you. Frankly, you don’t care for Christmas and you’re not all that crazy about Christians either.

2. The Indifferent. Or maybe you’re more like the religious guys who totally missed the coming of the Messiah. They were so caught up in their rituals and routines that they missed Christmas. Sadly, they even knew the right answers about where the Messiah was to be born but resisted being born again themselves.

It’s easy for religious people to take Jesus for granted. At the first Christmas, the ritually religious are nowhere to be found because they misunderstood, miscalculated and underestimated God’s simple plan of salvation.

Action Flows from Adoration

As I read the Christmas narrative again this week, it struck me that it’s impossible to stay the same when we encounter the Savior because adoration always leads to action. Worship leads to work. The story of Christmas is still unfolding and it still inspires action. Here are some ways we can choose to enter the story.

1. Tell the story of Christmas because it’s our story to tell. Instead of getting all bent out of shape when a store employee says, “Happy Holidays,” let’s remember that Christmas is our story to tell. We’ve been talking in our small group about how we can answer people’s questions when they ask, “Are you ready for Christmas?” In our culture that means, “Is your shopping done?” We want to recapture what Christmas really means so we can leverage our conversations for Christ. One person suggested we say something like, “I’m trying to get my heart ready…” Someone else is responding by saying, “I’m preparing myself for worship.”

2. Sit down with your family and discuss how you can approach Christmas differently this year. Manage your schedule coming into the Christmas season in a way in which worship is front and center for your family. Here’s an idea. Ask each member of your family which Christmas Character they most want to model – Mary who offered and magnified, John who jumped, Joseph who obeyed, the angels who adored, the shepherds who hurried, Simeon who praised, Joseph and Mary who marveled, Anna who witnessed, or the wise men who worshipped. Another idea is to use an Advent Wreath and read part of the Christmas story from Scripture every day.

3. As you strive to worship fully this Advent, be thinking of ways you can spend less so that you can give more. This quote by Eric Hoffer has really messed with me: “You can never get enough of what you don’t need to make you happy.” Instead of buying what people don’t need with money you don’t have to impress people you don’t like, here are some worthy ways to give this season.

- Christmas Baskets. Last year we helped over 50 families in the community. If you want to give to this simply make a note on your check indicating that it is for Christmas Baskets.