Luke 2:10-12: Joy to the World
INTRODUCTION Christmas time is supposed to be a time of great joy. But many people are sad. You have heard of S.A.D., seasonally affected disorder. This usually describes people who react badly to winter weather because there is less sunshine, but many are affected by the approaching Christmas season as well. There are the usual reasons for feeling sad, maybe it is separation from loved ones, or the loss of a loved one. Maybe it is coming to the end of a rough year where many expectations went unmet and many hardships surprised us. There are added troubles this...
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Luke 2:14: The First Christmas Carol
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” What does the birth of Christ mean to the world today? Those who do not believe the Christmas story as teaching that the saviour of the world is born; many still celebrate the story because they believe that it teaches and affirms that the birth of every child is precious. As true as it is that every human life is precious, the remembrance of Jesus in the stable is not a celebration of human life, no matter where it is born. No,...
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Isaiah 9:1-7: Jesus, the prophesied Messiah
You noticed perhaps a similar theme between the two portions of Scripture this morning, and that is one of celebration and rejoicing. So let me ask you this question, what do you celebrate at Christmas time? Perhaps you are happy about the time off work? Perhaps you enjoy spending the break with family and friends? Perhaps you are like the neighbour down my street, and use it as an occasion to put lights on every available surface outside your home? Maybe you like the giving of gifts, or if you are a child, you like the receiving gifts? If...
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John 1:14: Jesus tabernacled among us
“Jesus is the temple” is my Christmas meditation for us this year. It sounds weird I know but it is relevant I promise. We have recently been going through Luke’s gospel and looking at all the birth narratives relating to Christ’s conception and birth. I do not want to go over that material again but want to take the opportunity to look at some of the deeper theology that we can overlook when we think about the incarnation. Today as an encouragement for you to consider the richness of grace towards us in Christ I want us to consider...
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Luke 2:22-38: Jesus presented at the Temple
Jesus being presented at the temple is usually not seen as a very important part of the birth narratives in the gospels, but it is important for several reasons. Jesus presentation of the temple gives the final birth hymn, the Nunc Dimittis, that goes along with the Benedictus; the Magnificat; and the Gloria in Excelsius. It is the first visit of Christ to the temple. It is significant that He who is the temple, and the Word tabernacling among us comes to the temple and certain Spirit led things confirm His identity and purpose. This visit is important because...
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Luke 2:8-21: The Good News of Christ’s Birth
One of the great public events, at least for those who still have a monarchy, is the first appearance of the crown prince, or royal baby. The picture of the couple and the baby makes the front cover of every news outlet, social commentators wax lyrical about whether the duchess wore a dress in the same style as Diana, and on and on it goes. The arrival of a new royal is a big deal and the world sits up and pays attention. Some even have a little shrine to the royal family in their homes, a central place...
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Luke 2:1-7: The Birth of Christ
When I say ‘Christmas’ what comes to mind? Santa Claus, stockings, reindeer, Christmas trees, gifts, food…. Most of our associations have to do with lights, and music and festivities, and large family gatherings with lots of gifts and food and a large expenditure of money, but not so at the first Christmas. Luke 2:1-7 gives us the humble and simple account of one of the greatest miracles of all time, God becoming man. How did we get to the modern practices of celebrating Christmas the way we do? In the earliest times of the time, the birth of Christ...
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Philippians 2:5-8: Christmas Day Message
Christ as the Divine One Christ as the Human One Christ as an Obedient One
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Galatians 4:1-7: From Slaves to Sons
Introduction: It is Christmas time again. Once again the world is handing itself over to carnival preparing to eat, and drink, and holiday and give gifts and be merry. In the western world there is the constant attempt to remove Christ from Christmas. But even where Christmas carols are still sung, and Christmas parades are still called so, and ‘Happy Holidays’ does not replace ‘Merry Christmas’, this is no guarantee that the Christ will be honoured. This is no guarantee that Christians will not be caught up in the materialism that has come to dominate a time of worship. ...
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Christmas Message: John 1:14-18: Have You Seen the Glory?
Introduction: Are you bored of Christmas? Does it seem repetitive to sing the same carols for a month every year? Have you felt your heart grow hardened to the incarnation of Christ? In September this year, I went on a road trip with an English family from church to the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee to see an eclipse. One of the members of our company had become entirely obsessed with it, so, he went on Nasa’s website and found us GPS coordinates for a carpark where we could view the eclipse with 100% totality. The whole process of the...
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Luke 2:21: The Circumcision of Christ
Introduction: This morning in preparation for Christmas I would like to impress upon us the dark side of Christmas. There is no end to the frosted idyllic scenes of a cute cherubic baby Jesus with a glowing halo. He is surrounded with raptured smiling faces, while ‘no crying He makes’. Many in order to avoid the distinctly gospel and Christian aspects of Christmas have amplified the cuteness, and fixated on the birth of a baby. But today I want to cast a shadow over the birth. The shape of that shadow is in the form of a bloody blade. ...
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Isaiah 8:17-9:5: The Light Shines in the Darkness
Thanks to Tim Stanton for preaching this morning; he was back home during his Christmas break from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, where he is currently earning a Master of Divinity. Outline The Need of the Light The Promise of the Light The Victory of the Light Introduction In the movie the Lord of the Rings, Gandalf instructs Aragorn before the siege of Helms deep, “Look for my coming on the dawn of the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east.” Then in the midst of the battle for Helms Deep the soldiers have come...
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Luke 2:11: Jesus our Saviour
Outline Saviour from sin Introduction In Luke 2:11, Jesus is called ‘Saviour.’ Luke 2:10-12, ‘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. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”’ I would like to share with you just one thought as we draw near to Christmas. Jesus...
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