How to Have a Merry Christmas

How to Have a Merry Christmas

Subject: Making Sure Our Attitude Is Right About Christmas

by Rick Welborne

Matt 2:1‑12 (NKJV)

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 

2 saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." 

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 

4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 

5 So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 

 6 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.' "  

7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also." 

9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen 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 exceedingly great joy. 

11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.  

–Evidently there will, at least until Jesus comes back, those who have the spirit of Herod. Herod wanted to kill the Christ child because He was a threat to his kingdom. People want to kill babies.

–Obviously, people are still threatened by Jesus because they want Christ out of Christmas. Stores are omitting His Name while schools are calling the Christmas Holidays...the Winter Holidays or Winter Break.

–Make no mistake that the spirit of Herod is alive and thriving because of those who want no part of our Jesus...Planned Parenthood - selling baby parts.

--Thank God we have a president who is imploring people to not be robbed of saying Merry Christmas. He is encouraging all of us (not that he should) to say Merry Christmas!

–Again this year I implore you not to say happy holidays but to say “Happy Jesus’ Birthday!” Say it loud and say it with passion. That will leave no room for question of where you stand. 

–Jesus said it was impossible for offenses not to come. Let’s politely offend as many as possible.

Luke 17:1-5 (NKJV)
¹  Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!
²  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
³  Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
⁴  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."
⁵  And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." 

–Whose responsibility is it to spread His Name anyway...Secular Businesses or the church of the Living God.  Before you complain about not having manger in town you put a manger scene in your yard.

–Maybe we should be like the shepherds and go and share the good news.

–I have a concern, not only about the spirit of Herod wanting to destroy the Christ child but those who within our own ranks (churches) want to kill the Spirit of Christmas.

–They complain about the commercialization of Christmas and all the lights and glitter. They complain that almost everybody gets a gift for Christmas except for Jesus.

–They complain about Christmas Trees and how pagan they are.

–Today hopefully I can give a view of Christmas that will set the saints free to make it a Merry Christmas.

–Let’s face it, if we aren’t merry during this time of year, there is a really good chance that we will not be able to help those who do not know Jesus.

–So how can we make this a Merry Christmas?

1. We can look at the lights and decorations in a different way.

--Christmas is so commercialized and businesses are making lots of money...but maybe the whole world is celebrating Jesus without even knowing why?

--Maybe the lights and decorations are an opportunity for the church to rise from its sleep and slumber and witness about the love of Christ to people.

--Isn’t this the time of year...more are depressed, suicidal, lonely, stressed, hurting, marriages shattered ...shouldn’t we be the light of the world?

--Lights aren’t to be hidden but to be displayed for those to see...we do want them to see don’t we?  Jesus said: We are the light of the World!

--Remember when the angels appeared to the shepherds:

Luke 2:8‑17 (NKJV)

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 

9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 

10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 

11 "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 

12 "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." 

13 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, goodwill toward men!"  

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." 

16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 

17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 

  

--The light and the glory came so they went and found Christ...they spread the word. We should too!

2. We can look at the Christmas tree in a way that will honor and glorify God.

--A few years ago I preached a sermon: Wake Up!  The gifts are under the tree!

--There will always be the dreadnaughts among us who say, No Christmas tree!

--But again I say, Wake up, the gifts are under the tree.

--Pastor Rick, the tree Jesus died on was not a beautifully decorated tree, it was an old rugged cross....it was beautiful when you think Who was on it and why! His blood washes away all our sin.

--Jesus is no longer on the tree but has ascended to the right hand of God.

--What was a symbol of death (the cross or tree) can, at Christmas, be a celebration of the resurrection and life of Jesus Christ.

–When we see the lights on the tree let us think: Jesus is the Light of the World.

–When we see the gold ornaments: Let us think of His majesty and Kingship.

–When we see the star: Let us think of the star the Magi or wise men followed.

–When the kid’s eyes light up: Let us remind them that it is Jesus’ Birthday.

1 Cor 1:18 (NKJV)

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  

--Let’s look at the Christmas tree in a totally different light. Wake up the gifts are under the tree (the cross).

3. We can look at this process of gift giving in a totally different way.

--They say, Everybody gets a gift for Christmas except for Jesus.

--Is that really the issue or is there something deeper in your heart, Scrooge? 

--If that is how you feel, then bring your best gift to the Church at Christmas time and let us use it to bless the Lord and the poor.

--If you really want Jesus to have a great gift...give Him yourself without all the baggage and complaining.

--Give the Lord something He can use this year...a life dedicated to Him.  Ouch!

--Of course giving can be done for the wrong motives and receiving can get to be about our selfishness but it doesn’t have to be that way.

--What if we looked at our gift giving as if we were giving to Jesus Himself.

1 Cor 12:12&27 (NKJV)

12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

--If we are Christians and we give to we another...we are giving as if we are giving to Jesus.

--If Jesus is in you and He is in me...when we fellowship together and bless each other...We experience Emmanuel...God with us...the greatest gift of all.

--What about all this feasting and celebrating during the holidays? Expanding my territory. We can and should celebrate all of God’s wonderful blessings. 

Mal 4:2 (NKJV)

2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall‑fed calves.  

--As we fellowship together we should anticipate that great day when we will sit with Jesus at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Matt 26:29 (NKJV)

29 "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."  

Rev 19:4‑9 (NKJV)

4 And the twenty‑four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!" 

5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!" 

6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 

7 "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." 

8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 

9 Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' " And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God." 

--Let’s join with all those in heaven who worship Jesus and let’s make this a Merry Christmas!