Sermon Tone Analysis

Charlie Brown Christmas Video

That’s the real story of Christmas.

Jesus.

He came to us.

He demonstrated His

love for us.

He invited us to be a part of His life.

This morning, we may have already experienced Christmas.

The:

Parties

Family gatherings

Decorations

Gifts

Food

Serving the needy

We’ve all experienced what we’d call Christmas this year.

But that does not mean

we’ve uncovered the real story of Christmas.

It doesn’t mean we’ve examined the

story … embraced the story.

And it certainly doesn’t mean that we’ve been embraced by the story of Christmas.

GOD: This morning I want us to take a look at the story of Christmas.

The vintage story.

The glorious, life-giving story of Christmas.

This morning, travel back in time with me to that first Christmas.

There, we will see the real story unfold … minus all the trimmings.

You know – minus the parties… the cards … the ornaments … the family gatherings.

Just the story.

The real story.

And when you think about it try to:

Clear your heads

Open your hearts

And…forget about how light your wallet feels.

This morning we are in a unique position to actually listen to the story of Christmas.

It’s a story that changes all who hear it and embrace it.

According to those who were the first eyewitnesses to the real story of Christmas:

Christmas is an invitation into the presence of God.

One of our eyewitnesses this morning will be Mary, the mother of our Lord.

Listen for the real story as the angel announces to Mary the arrival of Christmas.

I’m reading from Luke 1:26-28.

“The Lord is with you.”

What a story.

At its core, this is an invitation to a 16 … 17 …18-year-old Jewish girl to enter into the presence of God.

To participate in the plans ofGod.

To fulfill the dreams of God in our world.

Mary encountered God when Gabriel appeared to her.

Now certainly the encounter was actually with an angel.

But the real story is that Mary was being invited into God’s presence.

She was being invited to do life with God … not with some angel named Gabriel.

Listen – whether through an angel, or a Christmas hymn, or a family gathering, or simply through the reading of Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth on Christmas morning – the real story of Christmas is that God is inviting you into His presence.

God is drawing you into His plans for your life.

He’s inviting you to share His dreams … to join Him in reshaping your corner of the world according to His vision.

This Christmas season, God has been and IS inviting you into His presence.

Just allow yourself to be honest for a moment.

Have you?

Have you entered into God’s presence this Christmas?

I know some of you are thinking:

“Well Pastor, I’ve been coming to our Christmas series”

“I came to our Christmas party and luncheon”

“Our family read the account of Jesus’ birth out of the Gospel of Luke .

Does that mean we got the real story of Christmas?”

Okay, those things are great.

Our family did all three of those things as well.

But let’s admit it to ourselves.

None of these things guarantee us entrance into the presence of God.

Want to know how you can tell if you have gotten the real story of Christmas … if you have responded to this invitation to enter into God’s presence this Christmas?

Just ask yourself if you have experienced any of the responses that Mary experienced when she entered into God’s presence.

Have you:

Stood In Awe of God

Been Filled with Wonder Toward God

Maybe you lost your job, and you had no idea how you were going to provide Christmas for your family.

But out of the blue, someone blessed you.

Or some unexpected money came in … a windfall … and you knew it was God.

God came through, and you stood in awe of God.

Made a full surrender of your life

Had any moments like that?

Any times when you experienced the same stuff Mary experienced?

Yes? Then you get the real story of Christmas, and you have entered into His presence.

No? Then it’s not too late.

Before you take down the tree, and pack up the Christmas lights … sit down with God.

Get away with Him for thirty minutes or an hour today – and sit there until you tremble in His presence … until you are filled with awe and wonder.

Now according to those who were the first eyewitnesses to the real story of Christmas:

· Christmas is an invitation into the presence of God.

· Christmas is an invitation to sing the praises of God.

Notice Mary’s response to the angel’s visit, and to her encounter with God:

That’s right – she sang.

She praised God.

When she encountered God, her life began to look more like a Broadway musical than a big budget action movie.

She encounters God, and then her mouth breaks forth in song.

That’s it.

That’s the real story of Christmas.

It’s a story that the angels announced.

And it’s a story that even children can understand.

And by the way, this response of singing God’s praises is not unique just to Mary.

It seems like everyone who grasped the real story of Christmas had a song to sing.

Everyone who entered into the presence of God sang His praises.

The Bible tells us:

When Zechariah grasped the real story of Christmas, he broke out into song:

The angels certainly grasped the real story of Christmas, and they broke out into

song: