Thank you ladies and gentlemen for Bibles.
I want you to turn to Luke chapter 2.
Luke chapter 2, I hope you're having a blessed Christmas.
I was going to say because of the inconvenience of all the
things that happen on Christmas morning and I understand all of
that to come as you are, come comfortable.
But I went to Walmart and decided I wasn't going to encourage
people to just come as they were.
So, because I've seen them as they is.
I hope it's a blessed Christmas and I thank you for putting
Christ at the center of it.
He deserves it and we're better off for it.
And I think it says something about your priorities and I
appreciate that and admire it.
I don't believe you'd want to be here without hearing the
Christmas story.
It just makes sense to me.
Luke chapter 2, beginning in verse 1.
It says,
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the
world should be registered.
This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of
Syria and all went to be registered, each to his own town.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to
Judea to the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he
was of the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary as
betrothed who was with child.
And while they were there, this time came for her to give birth.
And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in
swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no
place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field keeping
watch over their flock by night.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them.
The glory of the Lord shone around them and they were filled with
great fear.
And the angel said to them,
Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will
be for all the people.
For under you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is
Christ the Lord.
This will be a sign for you, you'll find a baby wrapped in
swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly
hosts praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on
earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.
When the angels went away from them into heaven the shepherds said
to one another let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that
has happened which the Lord has made known to us.
And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby
lying in a manger and when they saw it they made known the saying
that had been told them concerning this child.
And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
But Mary treasured up all these things pondering them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all they had
heard and seen as it had been told them.
My favorite parts of these words are close to the end of it when it talks
about how to celebrate and how to respond to Christmas.
So briefly this morning I want to encourage you to respond and to celebrate
in three ways.
And if you don't get it then I won't be brief.
First is ponder.
That's what verse 19 says Mary did.
She pondered.
I love that verse.
She treasured all these things pondering them in her heart.
Mary just let it soak in.
Muse is a good word.
Because muse means to sit back and to meditate and to think.
Amuse means to not muse.
We like amusement parts because we don't have to think.
We like amusement because we don't have to think.
But there's times when we ought to think.
Now there's a lot of amusements this time of year.
However, I believe it's important to pause in the midst of all that happens
to muse as well.
And that's what Mary did.
She took it in.
It's one of my favorite Christmas verses because it's personal to me.
Because I noticed something over the years of growing up
and then having our own children
when we went back to where I grew up
to grandpa and grandma's house.
When all the gifts were around the tree
they were all distributed out.
People tearing into them.
A couple of dogs usually in the mix somewhere.
I would look and my mother would not be opening her gifts.
Pile of gifts be around her
and yet she's not opening them.
Mama opened one and she
just kind of blow us off.
Continue to watch.
Take it in.
I never quite understood that but
I do now.
It's much more blessed to give than to receive.
She's just watching.
Watching responses and watching to see if
just taking it in.
And she often says it was a red letter day
and so she's just taking it in.
And that's what Mary did.
She just took it in.
Now,
there's a lot going on these days.
But I encourage you,
don't get so caught up in all of it
that you miss the pondering.
That you miss the still moment.
That you miss the mental gathering.
Taking it in.
These are blessed times.
Memory makers.
So soak them in.
Ponder.
The second response I see them do is share.
It's in verse 17 and 18.
And it says,
when they saw it,
they made known the saying that had been told them
concerning this child.
And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
Notice the response of those shepherds that were told.
They were amazed.
The people that they told were amazed.
And if you think about the whole story,
as if you've never heard it,
it is amazing.
That God loved us enough to send his son.
And when he sent his son to send him in a stable.
To be raised by ordinary folk.
To never hold an office.
Jesus never traveled beyond 200 miles from his home.
Yet to be perfect and to die for us,
but then to rise from death on his own.
And then to go to heaven to work on our behalf
while he empowers us to do what he's called us to do.
And I love this.
And he lives to make intercession for us.
He lives to pray for us.
The gospel is amazing.
Every time a lost one hears it.
It could very well be amazing.
So share it.
What's God done for you?
Don't hold that in.
You don't have to have a spiritual gift of proclamation
or evangelism to be able to share what God has done for you.
We share about the things that we care about.
We share about those things that mean so much to us.
Let's share about the Lord.
And then the last response is to praise.
Verse 20 says,
And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen as it had been told them.
When all the festivities are done,
it'll be time to return.
However, when you return back to some sense of normalcy,
if there is even such a thing in today's world,
return like these did.
Return glorifying and praising God.
Years ago,
Larno Harris sung a song
about after Christmas putting the decorations up.
And he said his boy was helping him
put the decorations in the attic.
And his son asked him,
Dad, do we store away Jesus too?
And he responds with a chorus in that song,
All year long.
We must worship day by day.
All year long,
tis the season to obey.
May the Christmas tree lights
and the sleigh ride of night
remind us all to stay
in God's presence
all year long.
My friend, that's what Christmas is about.
Christmas is about
re-energizing,
re-engaging,
re-steering our mind
upon what really matters
and not missing it.
Years ago, it is told
that in a European country,
there was a christening taking place
of a child
who had been born to royalty.
And the guest arrived.
A servant met them at the door
and took their wraps.
And as they continued to gather
for this christening,
finally someone said,
Where's the baby?
The nurse went to fetch the baby
but couldn't find the baby.
And finally, a guest recalled
having seen the baby in the bed
where the coats had been placed.
The parents were horrified
to find their baby in that room
too late
smothered by a pile of coats.
What an irony
that the real purpose of the gathering
had been forgotten
and the one to be honored
had been killed.
I wonder if
that isn't true
for
many of us
at this time of year.
Jesus is the reason
for the season.
Jesus is our celebration.
He is the honored one.
He is our king.
So
this year
let's honor him
by wondering.
By
by witnessing
by waiting
before him
and worshiping him.
I think that would make
not only for a blessed Christmas
but a blessed new year
as well.
With every head bowed
and every eye closed
I want to ask you this morning
greatest Christmas gift
you've ever been given
is Jesus Christ
and the opportunity of salvation.
And so I want to ask you this morning
has there ever been a time
in your life
when you've surrendered your life
to the Lord Jesus Christ?
You've given up your life
and given it to him.
Asked him to forgive you
and to cleanse you
and to change you.
Committed you
to your life
to live
from this day forward
for him.
If that's never happened to you
I want you to know
there's an invitation
open to you
not only by me
but by the Lord Jesus himself.
If you sense the need of that
you didn't come up with that
on your own
it's God probing you
he's working and moving in you
he's speaking to you.
No greater Christmas gift
could come to you
than the gift of eternal life
through surrendering your life
to the Lord Jesus Christ.
And no greater gift
could you give
than yourself to Christ.
What a way to celebrate Christmas.
Maybe you're here
and God's speaking to you
about making a private decision
that you've made
for the Lord public.
Like these that have come
this morning to be baptized
you know that you need
to do that as well
to honor the Lord.
To be biblical
about your salvation.
God's leading you
to do such as that.
I encourage you to come
we'd love to guide you in that
schedule that for you
celebrate that with you.
Maybe the Lord's leading you
to this church.
You feel like God's
drawing you to be a member
of this church
and to worship with us
and I encourage you
if he does so
you come
just as good a morning as any.
I encourage you to come.
And maybe it's
not those things.
Maybe it's a private matter.
Maybe the reality is
that you've not been
spending enough time
pondering upon the Lord.
you've not spent enough time
sharing the Lord
with others.
You've not spent enough time
worshiping the Lord.
And today you want to say
Lord I want to give you
my gift
and that's me.
I'm going to give you
all of me.
I want to start new
with you oh God today.
You can do that
where you are.
I'll be happy to pray for you.
You can come to this altar.
Whatever God leads you to do
just be obedient.
You'll never be satisfied
unless you're obediently
following the Lord.
So just do what
he tells you to do.
Nothing more
and nothing less.
Lord Jesus thank you
for all that you give to us
and all that you do for us.
And I just pray that you'll
help us to be obedient
this morning
as you speak to us
this Christmas morning.
In Jesus precious name.
Amen.