CHRISTMAS MISTAKES

                                                             Mk. 12:23, Heb. 3:10, James 1:16-17

Adapted from a message by Donald Prout by Pastor Rick Jackson

When you read the Christmas story in the Bible it is not just the story of one day. It is the story of millennia, the story before time that has not ended and will never end though time itself will. If you say you mean the events as they happened, though prophesied for many centuries before, even then, it is a story of years; it was 1 year and 3 months before the first Christmas day that Zechariah was apprised of the events that were to change his life and the world! It was some 2 years after the first Christmas that the wise men finally made it to Bethlehem where they found the toddler King of the Jews in a house with His mother and step-father. What we celebrate in a season took over 3 years to live out! In those years there are several notable mistakes made by the people of that time- mistakes that continue to be made by some even in our time! Be careful you don’t make one or more of the Christmas mistakes!

 

I. THERE ARE TEMPORARY MISTAKES

 

1. Zechariah Didn’t Believe God’s Messenger at First [Lk. 1:11-20, 57-64]

 

2. Joseph didn’t Believe Mary’s Explanation at First [Mt. 1:18-25]

 

3. The Wise Men Assumed Jerusalem would be the Birthplace of the King of the Jews [Mt. 2:1-12]

 

II. THERE ARE TRAGIC MISTAKES

 

1. The Chief Priests & Scribes were Apathetic [Mt. 2:4-6]

 

2. King Herod was Antagonistic [Mt. 2:13, 16-18]

 

3. Some Persons are Arrogant in their Ignorance [Lk. 1:49-55]

 

III. THERE ARE TRADITIONAL MISTAKES – People that are more interested in:

 

1. Presents than His Presence & Profits more than the Prophets [Mt. 1:22-25, Lk. 16:13]

 

2. Holidays than Holy Days & Santa more than the Saviour [Mt. 6:33, 22:42]

 

3. Christmas Trees rather than Calvary’s Tree & Spirits rather than the Spirit of God [Gal. 3:13-14, Eph. 5:18]