TOPICAL
CHRISTMAS OUTLINES
17 OUTLINES
CHRISTMAS QUOTES
ISAIAH SPEAKS OF THE PERSON OF CHRIST
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.
MICAH SPEAKS OF THE PLACE OF CHRIST
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.
JOHN SPEAKS OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST
John 1:14 - And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among
us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)
full of grace and truth.
PAUL SPEAKS OF THE PRESENT OF CHRIST
2 Corinthians 9:15 - Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
THE ANGELS SPEAK OF THE PROCLAMATION OF
CHRIST
Luke 2:10-14 - And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for,
behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of
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THE CHRISTMAS TOP TEN – PART 1
Part 2 is below If you would like Power Points for
Parts 1 & 2, please request it at jpeters@alltel.net
Thanks to David Letterman and others, top ten lists
abound. It seems that a lot of subjects
have top ten lists, so why not a top list for Christmas? Here’s one I found on
the internet:
·
10 - Without Christmas, the candied fruit market would
collapse!
·
9 - Without Christmas, our slow, uneventful lives
would have no stress whatsoever!
·
8 - Without Christmas, barking dogs wouldn't have a
music career!
·
7 - Without Christmas, Santa would only be a really
weird fat guy with poor fashion sense!
·
6 - Without Christmas, there would be no Christmas
bonuses!
·
5 - Without Christmas, you'd have to waste money
buying all your own underwear and socks!
·
4 - Without Christmas, your cat would never know the
joy of coughing up tinsel!
·
3 - Without Christmas, December would feel a lot like
February!
·
2 - Without Christmas, Eggnog becomes just a
disgusting beverage!
·
And the number one reason for keeping Christmas alive
is: Without Christmas, there would BE no Easter! — That means there would also
be: no hope, no forgiveness, no victory over the
grave. If that's the case, then the TRUE meaning of Christmas is certainly
something worth celebrating! http://graceland.gentle.org/topten/xmas98b.html
So much emphasis is made in our secular society about
the Christmas Holiday season, that it is important that when who name the name
of Christ have a true understanding of the real meaning of Christmas.
With the Lord’s help, I have put together my own list
of a Christmas Top Ten. This “top ten”
list includes the major players in the Christmas story, and what they teach us
about Christmas. To give this list a
fair treatment, we will look at it in two parts.
10 - HEROD – THE FOE
This was the first of several “Herods”. He is known as “Herod the Great”.
He was actually an Edomite, a descendant of Esau. Although he took on the title “King of the
Jews”, he was not.
He was a great builder, among other things rebuilding
the temple.
He was a Roman vassal, and as such a great military
leader, subduing
He was sometimes a great ruler. He Returned taxes in times of economic
despair and even melted down gold objects in the palace during famine and used
it to buy food for the poor.
There was another side of Herod that was the exact
opposite.
He often acted like a mad man.
He was very jealous and did everything he could to
stay in power.
He had his brother in-law, wife, his mother in-law,
and three sons killed.
According to John MacArthur – “One of the cruelest evidences
of his bloodthirstiness and insane cruelty was having the most distinguished
citizens of
John MacArthur, The MacArthur New
Testament Commentary, Matthew 1-7, (Chicago, Moody Press, 1985), p. 26
Matthew 2:1-8 - Now
when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king,
behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, [2] Saying, Where is he
that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his
star in the east, and are come to worship him. [3] When Herod the king had
heard these things, he was troubled, and all
Matthew 2:16 - Then
Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and
sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the
coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he
had diligently enquired of the wise men.
What was the bottom line reason for Herod’s cruelty?
What motivated Him?
It was His unbelief.
It was not that Herod was a foe of Christmas.
He was a foe of Christ!
He believed in himself, and His own power.
He did not believe that God would give his power to
another.
And the ironic thing was that Jesus was no threat to
his immediate kingdom, or even subsequent kingdoms of his sons.
Jesus still hasn’t established his kingdom on earth.
What would make you a foe of Christ?
It would be your own unbelief.
Acts 16:31 - And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,
and thy house.
Hebrews 11:6 - But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to
God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek him.
9. THE PROPHETS – THE FORETELLERS
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.
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.
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.
8. – ZACHARIAS AND ELIZABETH – THE FAITHFUL
Luke 1:5-7 - There
was in the days of Herod, the king of
1 Corinthians 4:2 - Moreover
it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
Revelation 2:10 - …be
thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
7. – SIMEON AND ANNA – THE FULFILLED
Luke 2:25-30 - And,
behold, there was a man in
Luke 2:36-38 - And there was one Anna, a
prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great
age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; [37] And she
was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple,
but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. [38] And she coming in
that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them
that looked for redemption in
1 Corinthians 1:30 - But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
6. THE WISE MEN – THE FOLLOWERS
Matthew 2:1-2 - Now
when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king,
behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, [2] Saying, Where is he
that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his
star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Matthew 2:9-11 - When
they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in
the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child
was. [10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. [11]
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his
mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their
treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:12 - And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod,
they departed into their own country another way.
Luke 9:23 - And
he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross daily, and follow me.
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THE CHRISTMAS TOP TEN – PART 2
FOR A POWER POINT TO GO WITH THESE NOTES
PLEASE EMAIL ME AT jpeters@alltel.net. If you missed getting a power point for part
1 and would like that as well, just ask.
The American Society of Composers, Authors and
Publishers has released a list of the most performed Christmas songs for the
past five years, based on performance data tracked by radio airplay monitoring
service Media guide, which is co-owned by ASCAP and monitors radio broadcast
music in real-time to facilitate the accurate distribution of royalty payments
to composers, lyricists and publishers.
The Top 10 most performed Christmas songs are listed
below. Each song includes songwriter credits, and cites the most popular artist
version played on radio.
1) The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open
Fire)
Written by: Mel Tormé, Robert Wells - Performed by:
Nat "King" Cole
2) Have Yourself A Merry
Little Christmas
Written by: Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin - Performed by:
The Pretenders
3) Winter Wonderland
Written by: Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith -
Performed by: Eurythmics
4) Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Written by: Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie - Performed
by: Bruce Springsteen
5) White Christmas
Written by: Irving Berlin - Performed by: Bing Crosby
6) Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Written by: Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne - Performed by:
Andy Williams
7) Jingle
Written by: Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe -
Performed by: Bobby Helms
8) Little Drummer Boy
Written by: Katherine K. Davis, Henry V. Onorati,
Harry Simeone
Performed by: The Harry Simeone Chorale &
Orchestra
9) Sleigh Ride
Written by: Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish - Performed
by: The Ronettes
10) Rudolph The Red Nosed
Reindeer
Written by: Johnny Marks - Performed by: Gene Autry
Virginia Soto
http://chicago.about.com/od/christmas/tp/120406_christma.htm
On a more serious note, we began a “Christmas Top Ten” list of our own last week. We are trying to center in on the real
meaning of Christmas by examining what I would say are the top ten characters
or groups of characters involved in Christmas.
Let’s review:
10 – HEROD – THE FOE
9 – The
PROPHETS – THE FORETELLERS
8 – ZACHARIAS AND
ELIZABETH – THE FAITHFUL
7 – SIMEON AND
ANNA – THE FULFILLED
6 – THE WISE
MEN – THE FOLLOWERS
THE SHEPHERDS – THE HEARERS
God was not going to do the most terrific thing that
ever happened in behalf of the human race without making it known.
God was not going to send his Son to earth without
having a welcoming committee.
God chose men who were of humble, even despised
occupation, to hear about the birth of his Son.
The shepherds were common men. Jesus came for the common man.
God actually let the shepherds know that the Good
Shepherd had arrived.
John 10:14 - I
am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
·
THEY WERE ALERT
Luke 2:8 - And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping
watch over their flock by night.
·
THEY WERE ALARMED
Luke 2:9 - And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord
shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
·
THEY WERE ADVISED
Luke 2:10-12 - And
the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of
great joy, which shall be to all people. [11] For unto you is
born this day in the city of
·
THEY WERE ACTIVE
Luke 2:15-16 - And
it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the
shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this
thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. [16] And
they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a
manger.
·
THEY WERE ANNOUNCERS
Luke 2:17 - And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was
told them concerning this child.
·
THEY WERE APPRECIATIVE
Luke 2:20 - And
the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that
they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
4 - THE ANGELS – THE HERALDS
Luke 2:10-12 - And
the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of
great joy, which shall be to all people. [11] For unto you is
born this day in the city of
Luke 2:13-14 - And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising
God, and saying, [14] Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good
will toward men.
3 - JOSEPH – THE HELPER
Matthew 1:18-19 - Now the birth
of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to
Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
[19] Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick
example, was minded to put her away privily.
Matthew 1:20-21 - But
while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto
him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee
Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. [21]
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he
shall save his people from their sins.
Matthew 1:24-25 - Then
Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and
took unto him his wife: [25] And knew her not till she had brought forth her
firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.
Matthew 2:13-14 - And
when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a
dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into
Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young
child to destroy him. [14] When he arose, he took the young child and his
mother by night, and departed into
God doesn’t need our help, but has graciously chosen
to us it. The greatest way to help God
is to do His will.
Ephesians 5:15-17 - See
then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, [16] Redeeming the
time, because the days are evil. [17] Wherefore be ye not unwise, but
understanding what the will of the Lord is.
2 - MARY – THE HANDMAID (SERVANT)
Luke 1:37-38 - For
with God nothing shall be impossible. [38] And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of
the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Luke 2:19 - But
Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
Romans 12:1 - I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies
a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service.
1 - JESUS – THE HOPE
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.
1 Peter 1:3 - Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant
mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead,
Colossians 1:27 - To
whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among
the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Titus 2:13 - Looking
for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ;
THE SHEPHERDS – THE HEARERS
THE ANGELS – THE HERALDS
JOSEPH – THE HELPER
MARY – THE HANDMAID
JESUS – THE HOPE
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ALL HE WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS
When I was a boy there was a song that went, “All I
want for Christmas is my two front teeth.”
More recently I have become familiar with the song, “I want a
Hippopotamus for Christmas”.
Without answering out loud, what do you want for
Christmas? Is it a toy, a game, some new
clothes, something for the computer? Or is it something more altruistic, like a
change in somebody’s attitude, more love in your family, or peace in
Christmas is Jesus’ Birthday. And now you may answer out loud, what do you
think Jesus wants for Christmas?
Of course Jesus is God and doesn’t need any of the
traditional presents like toys, games, food, or clothes.
Jesus is God and is very comfortable and
authoritative.
Hebrews 1:1-4 - God,
who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets, [2] Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he
hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; [3] Who
being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and
upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged
our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; [4] Being made so
much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more
excellent name than they.
So what does Jesus wants for Christmas?
I would like to suggest to you that all Jesus wants
for Christmas is your acceptance. He has everything else. He wants you to
accept Him for who He is and what He has done.
For Christmas Jesus wants you to:
ACCEPT HIM AS THE LAMB FOR YOU LIFE
Luke 2:11 - For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is
Christ the Lord.
John 1:29 - The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb
of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
1 Peter 1:18-19 - Forasmuch
as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold,
from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; [19] But
with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without
spot:
Revelation 5:12 - Saying
with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and
riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
John 3:16-18 - For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [17] For God sent
not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him
might be saved. [18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that
believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of
the only begotten Son of God.
For Christmas Jesus wants you to:
ACCEPT HIM AS THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE
1 John 4:19 - We
love him, because he first loved us.
Matthew 22:37-40 - Jesus
said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy mind. [38] This is the
first and great commandment. [39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt
love thy neighbour as thyself. [40] On these two commandments hang all the law
and the prophets.
John 14:21 - He
that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he
that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will
manifest myself to him.
Revelation 2:4 - Nevertheless
I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Luke 14:26-27 - If
any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and
children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be
my disciple. [27] And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot
be my disciple.
For Christmas Jesus wants you to:
ACCEPT HIM AS LORD IN YOUR LIFE
John 13:13 - Ye
call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
Luke 9:23-24 - And
he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross daily, and follow me. [24] For whosoever will save his life
shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall
save it.
Romans 12:1-2 - I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service. [2] And be not conformed to this world: but be
ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that
good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
For Christmas Jesus wants you to:
ACCEPT HIM AS THE LAMB FOR YOU LIFE
ACCEPT HIM AS THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE
ACCEPT HIM AS LORD IN YOUR LIFE
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Luke 2,
Matthew 2
THE JOYS OF
CHRISTMAS
When we do these nice things, we are
showing the joys of Christmas.
We feel the stress of getting ready for
Christmas, but Christmas is a time of joy.
We let the attitudes and actions of
others bother us, but Christmas is a time of joy.
We get frustrated with long lines at the
stores and the incompetency of store personnel, but Christmas is a time of joy.
We get upset with ourselves when we
don’t do what we know we should do, and do things that we shouldn’t do, but
Christmas is a time of joy!
The Bible is very clear that Christmas
is a time of joy. I want us to see Bible
characters who had joy on that first Christmas.
THE ANGELS HAD THE JOY OF REVEALING
As you know, Jesus was born in
She wrapped Jesus is swaddling clothes
and laid him in a manger. There was no
room in the inn.
Luke 2: 8 – Out on a hillside outside of Bethlehem, shepherds were doing
a traditional duty. They were keeping
watch over their flocks.
Vs. 9 – An angel
appearing out of nowhere would have been startling enough. But you can imagine the intense light that
must have shone round about him, probably lighting up the night sky. The
shepherds were terrified.
Vs. 10 – The angel
brings to them good tidings of great joy.
If the good tidings had just
been for the shepherds or for the people of
But this message of joy is for the whole
world, including you, me,
Vs. 11 – Notice
that the shepherds are told that Jesus was born to them. He was born for their benefit!
He was born in the “City of
He was born to be the Savior. That’s exactly what He did when he died on
the cross to pay the debt you owe God for your sins. Isaiah 53
Not only was he born to be the Savior
but He was “Christ, the Lord”
Jesus was the promised Messiah, “the
anointed one” who was promised in the Old Testament.
Jesus was and is “the Lord”. He has the authority and power to reign.
Vs. 12 – The babe
would be tightly wrapped in long strips of cloth called “swaddling
clothes”. He would also be found lying
in a manger.
As a servant of God, I am sure that it
was sheer joy for this angel to reveal this great news. This was God’s plan, and the angel would
rejoice in the plan of God.
Vss. 13-14 – As if the
message of one angel needed confirmation, and I think because the angels could
not remain silent, an angel host filled the sky giving praise to God.
The only way there will be “peace on
earth” is when Jesus comes and rules. And will.
The only way there is true “good will to
men” is through the ministry of the Lord Jesus.
THE SHEPHERDS HAD THE JOY OF
RECEIVING
Vs. 15- 16 – The
shepherds decided to do the logical thing.
They decided to go and see this
child.
They received the news from the
angel as truth and
acted
on it. They believed what they were told.
And they found things to be just as the
angels had reported.
You have been told the story of
Christmas.
Do you accept the story of Christmas as
true?
More important, have you received the
Lord Jesus as your Savior? Have you
trusted in Him as your forgiveness of sin and your only hope for Heaven? John
1:12, Romans 5:1
Vs. 20 – Notice
the great joy that led to glorifying and praising God for what they had seen
and heard.
They experienced the joy that was a
result of receiving the message of the Angel by faith.
If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior,
make this the happiest day of your life by trusting in Him. If you do know Christ as Savior, if you have
received Him, I encourage for you to continue to receive.
Continue to receive the message of the
Angels with joy.
Continue to study your Bible and do what
it says and you will have the joy that obedience brings.
Continue to abide in Christ, and
experience the joy of His daily presence.
Continue to talk to God and experience
the joy of answered prayer!
Continue to receive what God has to tell
you by faith and continue to feel joy and to rejoice!
THE SHEPHERDS AND ANNA HAD THE JOY OF
REPORTING
Vss. 17-18 – The
shepherds could not keep silent.
They had seen a miracle.
They had seen God’s Anointed One for
themselves.
They had something to report and they
did.
Vss. 36-38 – A very
old woman named Anna saw the Lord Jesus and praised God. And she told those who
were waiting for the coming of God’s Messiah.
You realize that one of your obligations
as a Christian is to be a “reporter” of the good news about Jesus. Mark 16:1, 1
Peter 3:15
We have a problem.
Our problem is this: We know we should
report to others about the Lord Jesus.
We know that we should tell them they need to be saved and we know we
should tell them how to be saved.
But we consider witnessing a cold
obligation that we’d rather pass up or ignore for fear of the response of
others or fear of our own embarrassment if we mess it up.
We fail to consider witnessing as a joy
and a privilege.
It should be a joy to tell people what
has happened to us.
It should be a joy to tell people that
there is only one way to Heaven, and you can tell them what it is.
It should be a joy to represent as an
ambassador for the one who has done so much for us.
2 Corinthians 5:20
Will you take the time to share your joy
with those who need to hear it?
MARY HAD THE JOY OF REFLECTING
Luke 2:19 - But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
Mary thought on all the events of
Christmas.
She pondered them. She remembered them.
In fact, I personally believe that
Luke’s account of the Christmas story probably came from Mary herself.
She was able to share many years later
because she had pondered them in her heart.
Have you discovered the joy of
reflecting in a Spiritual sense?
The more you memorize and meditate upon
Scripture the more joy you will have.
And the more you reflect on the
Christmas story and what it means to you, the more joy you will have. Jeremiah
15:16
THE WISE MEN HAD THE JOY OF
RECIPROCATING
Matthew 2:1-12 tells the
story of the Wise Men who came to visit Jesus.
These mystical men of the east came
bearing gifts.
In appreciation for the birth of “The
King of the Jews” they brought gifts.
They brought four gifts.
Yes, four!
They brought gold, frankincense and
myrrh.
But they also brought the gift of
worship.
Matthew
Their worship for the King of Kings and
Lord of Lords was the best gift of all.
Do you appreciate what Jesus has done
for you?
You could never fully reciprocate for
what He has done, but there are some things you can do. These things will bring
joy.
·
Joyfully take the time to worship Him.
·
Joyfully help someone else in need in His name.
·
Joyfully continue to support His church and His
missionaries.
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MESSAGES AT CHRISTMAS
MESSAGE TO A DOUBTFUL PRIEST – Luke 1:5-22
MESSAGE TO A DEVOUT BELIEVER – Luke 2:26-38
MESSAGE TO A DEDICATED SERVANT – Matthew 1:18-25
MESSAGE TO A DELIGHTED AUDIENCE – Luke 2:8-20
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Luke 2:1-5 etc.
GOD'S GUIDANCE
God has promised to guide His people (Psalm32:8). His guidance is evident in the Christmas
Story.
GUIDED TO
GUIDED TO
GUIDED TO
The purpose was for Jesus to be a Nazarene.
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Various Texts
IT'S CHRISTMAS!
As you drive through
neighborhoods this time of year, you see many light displays, reminding you
that it's Christmas. Turn on the
television and you will see many special holiday programs and commercials,
telling you that it's Christmas. Go to
the stores and the merchants don't want you to forget that it's Christmas. Come to church and you will notice the
decorations, music, Scripture
THE POWER OF CHRISTMAS -
Isaiah 7:14, Luke 1:30-35
God's power is shown at
Christmas through the Virgin Birth.
THE PROCLAMATION OF
CHRISTMAS - Luke 2:11
The angel tells the
shepherds that a Savior is born who is Christ the Lord.
THE PRAISE OF CHRISTMAS
- Luke 2:13-14
The angel choir gives
praise to God, reminding us that praise is our responsibility.
THE PROPONENTS OF
CHRISTMAS
The Shepherds - Luke
2:15-20
Simeon - Luke 2:25-35
Anna - Luke 2:36-39
The Wise Men - Matthew
2:1-12
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Mary
Various Texts
MARY'S CONVERSATION WITH
THE ANGEL - Luke 1:26-38
MARY'S COMPLETION OF
PROPHECY - Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2, Luke 2:1-7
MARY'S CONTACTS AFTER
JESUS' BIRTH
1. With
The Witnesses - The Shepherds - Luke 2:15-20
2. With The Waiters - Simeon and Anna - Luke 2:27-38 (Waiting for
Jesus to arrive)
3. With
The Worshipers - The Wise Men - Matthew 2:8-11
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Various Texts
Christmas Is
CHRISTMAS IS DIFFERENT
1. Because of the Virgin
Birth - Isaiah 7:14
2. Because of the
announcement by the angels - Luke 2:9, 13
3. Because of the visit
by the Wise Men - Matthew 2:1-12
CHRISTMAS IS DELIGHTFUL
Because of who was born
- Isaiah 9:6, Luke 2:10-11
CHRISTMAS IS DESTINY
The One born was
destined to die for the sins of the world, be buried and rise again. - Isaiah
53, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
CHRISTMAS IS DECISION
TIME
Each person must decide
what he will do about God's offer of salvation through Christ. - Acts
WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST?
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WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS TO
ME
Various Texts
It is again
Christmastime. Again I am expected to preach about Christmas. In this message,
I would like to share with you a little of what Christmas means to me
personally. This is what Christmas means to me:
GOD GAVE THE GIFT OF HIS
SON. I HAVE ACCEPTED THE GIFT. - John 1:14, John 3:16
MARY TRUSTED GOD. I AM
TO TRUST GOD. - Luke 1:26-28
Mary's situation would
be very tenuous. She knew she was a virgin. Those around her, including Joseph
(for a while) would not believe. She chose to trust God through this difficult
time. Pay special attention to Luke 1:38. I am to have the same complete trust
in God. Proverbs 3:5-6
JOSEPH OBEYED GOD. I AM
TO OBEY GOD. - Matthew 1:18-25
Joseph was going to give
Mary a quiet divorce (Because they were engaged they were viewed as married.).
God intervened. The Angel told Joseph not to be afraid to take Mary as his
wife. He obeyed. Later, when God gave further instructions, Joseph continued to
obey. Matthew 2:13-24, 19-23
May I also practice obedience to God. 1 Samuel 15:22-23
THE ANGEL PROCLAIMED JOY. I AM TO BE JOYFUL. - Luke 2:8-14, Philippians
4:4,
Galatians 5:22
THE ANGELS PROCLAIMED
PEACE. I AM TO BE PEACEFUL. - Luke 2:14, Philippians 4:6-7, Isaiah 26:3-4
THE WISE MEN BROUGHT
GIFTS. I AM TO BRING GIFTS - Matthew 2:11-13, 2 Corinthians 9:7, Galatians 2:20
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CHRISTMASTIME
Various Texts
In most countries
Christmastime is a special time. There are all sorts of traditions, parties,
presents, music, and good cheer. It is
very easy for people to forget the real meaning of Christmas. We need to remember that:
CHRISTMASTIME IS A TIME
OF VISIONS (PROPHECIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT)
Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 9:6
Micah 5:2
CHRISTMASTIME IS A TIME
OF VISITS.
By Angels - Luke 1:5-20,
Luke
By Shepherds - Luke
By Wise Men - Matthew 2
CHRISTMASTIME IS A TIME
OF VICTORY
Victory Over Sin - Luke 2:11
Victory Over Satan - Matthew 2 - Satan through Herod, could not kill
the Messiah.
FOUND!
Luke 2, Matthew 2
Christmastime is when many things are found.
Some people find the Christmas spirit itself. They are more
congenial, more jovial, more understanding, and generally happier.
Parents find that children just might be persuaded to be on
their best behavior. Gifts are often
used as motivation for children to act like angels.
Some find blessing by attending Christmas entertainment put on
by local churches and/or Sunday Schools.
Some find the joy of giving at the holidays.
Some find Spiritual insights as they study the Christmas story
from the Scriptures.
At the time of the first Christmas some things were found by the
individuals involved in the original story.
MARY AND JOSEPH FOUND A SON - Luke 2:7
I say they "found" a son because they never intended
to be parents in the way they became parents.
Luke 1:26-38, Matthew 1:18-25
THE SHEPHERDS FOUND A SAVIOR - Luke 2:11
The whole account about the shepherds is found in Luke 2:8-20
HEROD FOUND A STUMBLINGBLOCK Matthew 2:1-8, 12, 16-18
THE WISE MEN FOUND A SCEPTER Matthew 2:2, 11
A scepter is an instrument held by a king.
The wise men found the one who will one day hold the scepter of
kingship.
They were recognizing Jesus as king.
Conclusion -
Is Jesus your savior?
Is Jesus a stumblingblock in your life?
Is Jesus your king?
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Luke 2 & Matthew 2
PUTTING CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS
I suggest that you begin this message by quoting some popular
Christmas songs, and ask what is missing in these songs. I suggest you might use, "Silver
Bells", "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", "I'm
dreaming Of A White Christmas," or "Chestnuts Roasting On An Open
Fire" (That's probably not the right title, but you know what song I
mean.)
These songs are great songs, and fun to sing, but there is
something missing. Actually, there is someone missing. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. Today in our schools, our communities, and
even our homes, Christ is crowded out.
May we never be guilty of leaving Christ out of his own birthday
celebration!
WHEN CHRIST IS IN CHRISTMAS THERE IS ROOM. - Luke 2:7, Matthew
2:1-3
Because of overcrowded conditions, there was no room for Jesus
in the inn.
Because of the hostility of King Herod, there was no room for
Jesus after his birth.
Let's make sure there is room for Him in our hearts, in our
prayers, and in our celebration.
Our Christmas tradition is to read the story of Christ's birth
before any presents are opened.
WHEN CHRIST IS IN CHRISTMAS THERE IS JOY. - Luke 2:8-11, 20
We should be joyful because of the birth of the Savior.
We should also note that the angel said, "Fear
not." When we live in fear, we will
not have joy.
WHEN CHRIST IS IN CHRISTMAS THERE IS PEACE. - Luke 2:13-14
Peace comes through the Lord Jesus Christ. See Romans 5:1, Philippians 2:3-4, Isaiah
26:3-4
WHEN CHRIST IS IN CHRISTMAS THERE IS FAITH. - Luke 2:15-18,
Matthew 2:1-2
The shepherds and the wise men expressed their faith by going to
see the baby.
It is only through faith in Christ that we have eternal life.
Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:16
It is only through faith in Christ that we can live the
victorious Christian life. Galatians 2:20, Hebrews 11:6.
WHEN CHRIST IS IN CHRISTMAS THERE ARE GIFTS. - Matthew 2:11
The wise men brought gifts to the Savior.
We can bring gifts to Him as well. Remember that there is joy in
giving.
We can bring Spiritual gifts such as obedience and faithfulness.
We can bring physical gifts by giving to the needy and to
missions in His name.
Make sure you put Christ in Christmas!
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Various Texts
CHRISTMAS CERTAINTIES
Jesus was born to be our Savior. Luke
Believing in Jesus as Savior brings eternal life. John 1:12-13,
Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 5:1
The born again Christian is actually the only person who can
truly celebrate Christmas in the right spirit of the holidays.
Because of salvation, the Christian is without doubt, certain
about several things at Christmastime.
He has the following Christmas certainties.
THE CHRISTIAN HAS CERTAIN FORGIVENESS. - Psalm 103:10-14
THE CHRISTIAN HAS A CERTAIN FUTURE. - Hebrews 13:14, John 14:2,
Philippians 1:21, Psalm
THE CHRISTIAN HAS A CERTAIN FRIEND. - John 15:13, Proverbs
18:24, Hebrews 13:5, 1 John 2:1-2
THE CHRISTIAN HAS A CERTAIN FELLOWSHIP. - Hebrews 4:15-16, John
15:4-5,7, 1 John 2:1-2
THE CHRISTIAN HAS A CERTAIN FAMILY. John 1:12, John 13:34-35,
John 15:12, Hebrews 10:24-25
Anyone who is born again is born into the family of God. We who know Christ as all brothers and
sisters!
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Various Texts
THE FIRST CHRISTMAS GIFTS
Christmas is a time of
giving! It's no wonder! Think of how many gifts were given the first Christmas!
1. GOD GAVE HIS SON -
Isaiah 9:6, John 3:16
2. JESUS GAVE HIMSELF -
Philippians 2:5-11
3. MARY AND JOSEPH GAVE
SERVICE
It was Mary and Joseph
who took care of the Lord Jesus and endured false accusations about Mary's
morality.
4. THE ANGELS AND
SHEPHERDS GAVE TESTIMONIES - Luke 2:8-20
5. THE WISE MEN GAVE THEIR WORSHIP,
TIME AND POSSESSIONS - Matthew 2:1-11
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Various Texts
WHAT NAMES!
People's names are
interesting. My wife Dottie has a friend who's mother's name was Timothy
Clyde. And I might as well confess that
"Jack" is only my nickname. My real name is John Wayne (Peters)!
In the Bible, people
were given names that had significance.
Often people were referred to by more than one name. Our Lord Jesus was called many different
names. Isaiah 9:6 gives a whole list of great names for God's Son.
The New Testament
Christmas Stories also present us with several names for the Son of God.
They are great names!
"SAVIOR"
SPEAKS OF THE PRICE JESUS PAID - Luke
Jesus paid the price for
our sins on the cross. Salvation is a result of the finished work of Christ.
Romans 6:10, Hebrews
10:14
"EMMANUEL"
SPEAKS OF THE PRESENCE OF JESUS WITH MEN - Matthew 1:14, John 1:14
"KING OF THE
JEWS" - SPEAKS OF JESUS' POSITION - Matthew 2:2
"SON OF THE
HIGHEST" AND "SON OF GOD" SPEAK OF THE PERSON JESUS IS -
Luke1:32,35
"CHRIST THE
LORD" SPEAKS OF JESUS' POWER AND PREEMINENCE - Luke
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Luke 1:26-28 etc.
CHRISTMAS IS
CHRISTMAS IS A VIRGIN -
Luke 1:26-38
CHRISTMAS IS A VISION -
Matthew 1:18-25
Joseph needed to know
the source of his wife's pregnancy. God explained it to him through a dream.
CHRISTMAS IS A VISIT -
Luke 2:1-7
To fulfill prophecy
(Micah 5:2), Mary and Joseph visited
In the birth of Christ,
God visited man (John
CHRISTMAS IS A VOICE -
Luke 2:8-14
The voice is that of angels announcing the birth of
Christ to the shepherds, and proclaiming glory to God!