Happy Birth Day Series

HAPPY BIRTH DAY

A CHRISTMAS STORY PART I

INTRO: Christmas Shoes (If there is a copy of song/video to use, it would help)

It was almost Christmas time

There I stood in another line

Trying to buy that last gift or two

I’m really in the Christmas mood

Standing right in front of me

Was a little boy waiting anxiously

Pacing around like little boys do

And in his hands he held

A pair of shoes

And his clothes were worn and old

He was dirty from head to toe

And when it came his time to pay

I couldn’t believe what I heard him say

Sir I wanna buy these shoes for my Momma please

It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size

Could you hurry Sir?

Daddy says there’s not much time

You see, she’s been sick for quite a while

And I know these shoes will make her smile

And I want her to look beautiful

If Momma meets Jesus, tonight.

They counted pennies for what seem like years

And cashier says son there’s not enough here

He searches is pockets franticly

And he turned and he looked at me

And he said Momma made Christmas good at our house

Most years she just did without

Tell me Sir

What am I gonna do?

Some how I’ve got to buy her these Christmas shoes

So I layed the money down

I just had to help him out

And I’ll never forget

The look on his face

When he said Momma’s gonna look so great.

Sir I wanna buy these shoes, for my Momma please

It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size

Could you hurry Sir?

Daddy says there’s not much time

You see, she’s been sick for quite a while

And I know these shoes will make her smile

And I want her to look beautiful,

If Momma meets Jesus tonight.

I knew I caught a glimpse of heavens love as he thanked me and ran out.

I know that God had sent that little boy to remind me

What Christmas is all about

Sir I wanna buy these shoes for my Momma please

It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size

Could you hurry Sir?

Daddy says there’s not much time

You see she’s been sick for quite a while

And I know these shoes will make her smile

And I want her to look beautiful

If Momma meets Jesus tonight

I want her to look beautiful

If Momma meets Jesus tonight

Transition: I love this song, every year during the Christmas season, I feel like a cry when I hear it. As a father, I cannot imagine what it would be like for my own wife to go home to be with Jesus. Thrilled for her, I would be devastated. This morning, we are going to talk about a different mother who meets Jesus, Mary.

GOD GAVE US A GIFT…HIS CHILD…JESUS

BIBLE VERSE: Matthew 1: 18-25

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin shall be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel,” which means “God with us.”

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

I. THE PLEDGE: Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph.

Pledge: The word pledge in the English language, meant engagement. Like an engagement ring given to someone in marriage, it means a deep commitment to each other. But in those days, pledge meant betrothment, they were betrothed to each other. Essentially, they were married in everyone’s point of view.

David Hasselhoff: Famous announcer on TV Show on America’s Got Talent. He’s the “hot host,” he’s “the Hoff.” In an earlier day, he was famous for the TV Show “Baywatch” and when your as old as me, “Knight Rider.” Technically, he has been in 20 different TV shows, 20 different movies, and even has some song albums that he is created. But in his most important decision: his marriage, it failed.