COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS SERIES NUMBER 3

Here is a 5 part series for the month before Christmas and Christmas Eve.  You may adapt this series to suit your own congregation's needs.

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Isaiah 7:14 etc.

WE WANT A BABY!

Countdown To Christmas #1

The Old Testament Prophets, particularly Isaiah, looked forward with anxious anticipation to the birth of Israel's Messiah. Here are some Old Testament Prophecies which tell us about the baby that they were waiting for.

THE BABY WOULD BE BORN TO SPECIAL PARENTS

Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Luke 1:34-35 - Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? [35] And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

This Baby would be born of a virgin and fathered by the Holy Spirit. He would be "Emmanuel", God with us.

THE BABY WOULD BE BORN IN A SPECIAL PLACE

Micah 5:2 - But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

THE BABY WOULD BE BORN A SPECIAL PERSON

Isaiah 9:6 - For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

THIS BABY WOULD BE BORN FOR A SPECIAL PURPOSE

Isaiah 53:1-6 - Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? [2] For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. [3] He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. [4] Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. [5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. [6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

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Luke 1:26-38

BABY IS ON THE WAY

Countdown to Christmas #2

GOD'S MESSENGER - Vss. 26-27

The messenger, was the Angel Gabriel

GOD'S MESSAGE - Vss. 28-33

Mary was highly favored - Vs. 28

Mary was not to fear - Vss.29-30

Mary would give birth to the Messiah - Vss. 31-33

GOD'S METHOD - Vss. 34-38

To cause a virgin birth - Vss. 34-35

To give a child to a barren woman - Vs. 36

To do the impossible - Vs. 37

To bless people of faith - Vs. 38

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Matthew 1:18-25

COMPLICATIONS!

Countdown to Christmas #3

Sometimes when a person is pregnant, they run into "complications". Mary also ran into complications, but the complications were caused by the misunderstanding of Joseph, to whom Mary was betrothed.

A SURPRISE PREGNANCY - Vs. 18

Joseph was the one that was surprised, not Mary.

A SERIOUS PROBLEM - Vs. 19

Joseph loved Mary, and would quietly divorce her, rather than publicly harm her.

A SPECIAL PROCLAMATION - Vss. 20-21

Joseph was told that the conception was the work of Holy Ghost, that this child would be named Jesus, because He would save his people.

A SURE PROPHECY - Vss. 22-23

This birth would be the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14.

A SUBMISSIVE PERFORMANCE - Vss. 24-25

Joseph did as he was told.

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Luke 2:1-14

BABY IS HERE!

Countdown to Christmas #4

ADVANCE TO BETHLEHEM - Vss. 1-5

God worked through Caesar Augustus so that Mary was in Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus. Micah 5:2 was fulfilled.

ARRIVAL OF JESUS - Vss. 6-7

ANNOUNCEMENT BY ANGELS - Vss. 8-14

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Luke 2:15-20 etc.

THE JOY THAT BABY BRINGS

Countdown to Christmas #5

THE JOY OF PRIVILEGE - The Shepherds - Luke 2:15-20

The shepherds had the privilege of being the first ones to hear the birth announcement and the first ones to see the newborn.

THE JOY OF PROMISE - Simeon and Anna - Luke 2:25-38

Simeon and Anna were both waiting for the promise of the coming Messiah. Simeon was promised that he would not die until he saw Him.

THE JOY OF PRESENTATION - The Wise Men - Matthew 2:11

The Wise Men presented themselves for worship.

The Wise Men presented their gifts.