HAVE A CHRISTMAS PRESENT LIKE THE CHRISTMAS PAST

             LUKE 1:26ff                         Pastor Rick Jackson

Many of us get nostalgic at Christmas. We yearn for something from Christmases past. A few years ago Clydie gave me some lights that bubble because I mentioned our family having some of them when I was a child. I love the smell of a real Christmas tree. Some have holiday traditions that they observe. Dad liked a fire in the fireplace on Christmas day- even if it was 75 degrees outside. All this is well and good but what about the first Christmas? How can we recapture some of the original Christmas spirit in our present day lives? Well, we can have that old time Christmas spirit very simply.

 

I. WE CAN HAVE THAT OLD TIME CHRISTMAS SPIRIT BY BELIEVING LIKE MARY

 

1. Have Faith in God’s Word [Lk. 1:26-38]

 

2. Have Faith in God’s Saviour [Lk. 1:46-47]

 

3. Have Faith in God’s Work [Lk. 1:48-56]

 

II. WE CAN HAVE THAT OLD TIME CHRISTMAS SPIRIT BY OBEYING LIKE JOSEPH

 

1. Obey Compassionately [Mt. 1:18-19]

 

2. Obey Completely {Mt. 1:20-25]

 

3. Obey Immediately [Mt. 2:13-15, 19-23]

 

III. WE CAN HAVE THAT OLD TIME CHRISTMAS SPIRIT BY RESPONDING LIKE THE SHEPHERDS

 

1. Respond with Acceptance [Lk. 2:8-15]

 

2. Respond with Action [Lk. 2:15-19]

 

3. Respond with Adoration [Lk. 2:20]

 

None of these things are difficult. We can have a Christmas Present like THE Christmas past. Believe like Mary, Obey like Joseph, and Respond like the Shepherds.