CHRIST AND CHARACTER IN CHRISTMAS

(Luk 2:6) And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
(Luk 2:7) And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

• • In our front yards with countless illuminating lights, to show the brightness and glory of
    Christmas
  • Manger scenes to retell the humbleness and sacrafice
  • Invite friends and family and feast for days on leftovers
  • Buy expensive presents to teach love and charity
  • But somehow we find ourselves instead of retelling the story of a Saviors birth we find ourselves retelling year after year the story of: obesity, bankruptcy, guilt, regret, depression, etc…. Why is this because we forgot Christ did not come to stay in the manger but in our hearts.
  • The end result of the first Christmas was Christ and today if you want to experience true Christmas and share true Christmas with others we must first remember we must not seek only Christmas but Christ. Not a holly- day but holliness
  • If it is our desire to bring Christ to Christmas this year, then perhaps we should look at what was contributed to the first Christmas.

1. Mary : willingness for the birth

• (Luk 1:35) And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
  
• (Luk 1:37) For with God nothing shall be impossible.
  
• (Luk 1:38) And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. overshadowed by the holy ghost and filled with Christ.
  • • What did that mean? She would have to submit herself all of herself to God.
  • The way she walked
    • slept
    • Ate
    • looked
  • Pregnancy will demand all of you, not part of you
  • Mary said,” be it unto me according to thy word.
  • That is were the Christmas story stops so many times according to thy word
  • According to thy word means: the way we walk
    • Talk
    • What we do
    • Who we hang with
    • What we do with our time and effort
  • Before Christ was in the manger he was in a individual!
    Before he will be in your Christmas, and your world, you must let him in you
    • Survey:
      • Nearly half of adult Americans report they personally know someone who doesn’t believe in God but still will celebrate the yuletide this year, according to a survey of 1,001 people conducted by Scripps Howard News Service and Ohio University.(sermoncenteral)
      • WE MUST BE WILLING TO LET HIM BE BORN IN US !!!

2. Joseph: Humility

• Bible doesn’t say much about Joseph
• He is the guy at the back of the manger
• humility– 1. freedom from pride and arrogance; humbleness of mind; a modest estimate of one’s own worth. Humility consists in lowliness of mind; a deep sense of one’s own unworthiness in the sight of God, self-abasement, and submission to the divine will.
  • (Mat 1:19) Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
  • (Mat 1:25) And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
    
• He forsook
• Ego by not stoning her.
  rights by not sleeping with her until the Christ was born.
• Reputation by being seen with her
• Maybe you’ve experienced birth(Mary)
• We need to forget ourselves and Foster and Nurture someone else chance for Christ
• Most Christmases are ruined because people forget about the baby in the womb and start remembering their Ego
  • Rights
  • Reputation
    • (Phi 2:3) Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
    • (Phi 2:4) Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
      

3. The Shepherds and Wise Men / Praise

• Both brought praise
• Shepherds brought word of God
  • (Luk 2:17) And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
  • (Luk 2:18) And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
  • (Luk 2:19) But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
  • (Luk 2:20) And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
    
• (Mary already knew )Sometimes you need to hear it again!
• Take the word of God to Christmas this year!!!!!!!

4. Wise Men brought gifts

• We take gifts to ourselves and our children but they brought gifts to God.
  • (Mat 25:34) Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
  • (Mat 25:35) For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
  • (Mat 25:36) Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
  • (Mat 25:37) Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
  • (Mat 25:38) When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
  • (Mat 25:39) Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
  • (Mat 25:40) And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.