Sermon Central
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The Truth Of Christmas Series
Contributed by Jon Miller on Mar 2, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: This message is a fresh look at the basic truth of Christmas and also teaches practical application of that truth.
The Truth of Christmas
Over the years Christmas has become so commercialized that today I would like to re examine the Biblical truth about the birth of our savior
a recent article I read on the CBS NEWS website said that Americans spend an average of 66 billion dollars on Christmas gifts each year,
The day after Thanksgiving is the official kick off of the Christmas shopping season .On Black Friday 2008 In Long Island New York 2000 people waited outside a Walmart Store for the doors to be unlocked at 5am. When the doors were opened there was a stampede to get inside that left one person dead and 4 others taken to the hospital. All in the spirit of Christmas
2000 years ago the Angels proclaimed Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men
Yet, according to the National Institute of Health, Christmas is the time of year that people experience a high incidence of depression. Hospitals and police forces report high incidences of suicide and attempted suicide. Psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals report a significant increase in patients complaining about depression. One North American survey reported that 45% of respondents dreaded the festive season. I had one attorney tell me that holidays are the busiest time of the year in her office because of parents fighting over visitation rights of their children
I want you to understand upfront that I'm not a scrooge. I enjoy Christmas and love giving gifts. If you ask my wife I actually enjoy giving gifts more than I like receiving them, I actually prefer buying my own gifts.
As a Christian I believe it is possible for us to enjoy the festivities of Christmas while at the same time be firmly grounded in the truth of Christmas found in the Bible
What has happened in our society is that we have so elevated the commercialism of Christmas and become so busy in our Holiday schedules, Christmas parties and shopping for the perfects gifts that we have no time left to consider the truth of Christmas which is why I'm glad that you are here today
Let's face the reality of the whole matter- the Day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday is the busiest shopping day and the day after Christmas is the busiest return day. So all the busyness to find the perfect gift doesn't always work.
One time when Jesus was teaching his disciples a parable about the word of God he referred to the word as being a seed that is sown and sometimes it fell on rocky ground and didn't take root and then he said sometimes the seed is sown among thorns and the thorns and weeds choke out the seed and is doesn't grow and then he explained the parable and said
Mar 4:19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
See the angels were not mistaken when the proclaimed Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth. But instead society has placed such an emphasis on the stuff we buy and the parties we attend that the truth of Christmas has been choked out and peace has been replaced with chaos
It is possible for us to rediscover that peace and joy of the first Christmas when we rediscover the truth of Christmas and what it's really all about
Jesus said, Jhn 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Free from what? Free from the power of sin! Free from the guilt and shame of our sin! Free from cares and concerns of this world!
But we must know the truth and allow that truth to have a place to grown within our heart
So far in our study of Christmas we have looked at Christmas as told by the prophets, the untold story of Christmas from the book of Revelation and last week we looked at the forgotten man of Christmas, Joseph.
Today I want to share with you three simple truths of Christmas and how we can make application of these truths to have joy and peace in our chaotic world today.
Truth #1
God Became Man
In the Christmas song written by Charles Wesley, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” He so clearly proclaims this simple truth when he wrote, “veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail the incarnate deity, pleased as man with men to dwell Jesus our Emmanuel.” The word Incarnate is Latin and means to make into flesh
The Angel told Mary, “they shall call his name Immanuel (which means God with us). Matthew 1:23
Jesus was 100% man while at the same time 100% God.
