Christmas Message 2022 - Merry Christmas To Me Grow Series

Video: “The Magic of Gift-Giving” from Magic for humans

COMMENTARY: You know, we sometimes have the tendency to focus on ourselves — especially during the Christmas holidays.

COMMENTARY: We can often become so focused on ourselves that we fail to notice anything other than what we want.

ILLUSTRATION: If you’ve ever seen an illusionist perform, you know this is exactly how they perform their tricks!

They know how to manipulate our attention so we fail to see what else is going on around us.

COMMENTARY: But like we’ll see in this video, sometimes all it takes is a gentle reminder to help us adjust our focus and think about something other than what we want.

Play Video Link: https://youtu.be/avwrOQzPDCM

COMMENTARY: I don’t know about you, but I love seeing those kids choose to give something up in order to give a gift to someone they love.

Poll - What Future Life Event Do You Look Forward to the Most? SLIDE

COMMENTARY: Before we go back in time 2,000 years to the first Christmas, let’s look forward to the future.

COMMENTARY: What future life event do you look forward to the most?

INSTRUCTIONS: Poll your students by either asking them to stand, cheer, use a polling service

like polleverywhere.com, or run to the corner of the room that you designate to represent each

option.

What Future Life Event Do You Look Forward To The Most?

Graduating

Getting your own place

Starting your career

Starting a family

COMMENTARY: We all love to think about our futures because hopes, dreams, and goals can help us remember that we are part of a story that’s bigger than what’s going on in front of us today.

Scripture - Luke 2:22-32 SLIDE

COMMENTARY: Today I want to introduce you to a character from the first Christmas story. He’s not represented in any nativity sets because he met Jesus several days after he was born.

His name was Simeon, and Simeon had been waiting a long time to see his future hopes and dreams fulfilled.

Simeon was a Jewish man who was completely devoted to God.

COMMENTARY: Many people of the Jewish faith believed that one day God would send a Messiah, or Savior, to rescue God’s people and forever change the world!

COMMENTARY: Long before Jesus was born, God specifically revealed to Simeon that he wouldn’t die until he had seen Jesus — the one God promised would come and rescue the world.

COMMENTARY: Shortly after Jesus was born, His parents Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple to be purified — and that’s where they ran into Simeon.

INSTRUCTIONS: Read Luke 2:22-32.

Luke 2:22–32 NKJV

22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” 25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: 29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation 31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, 32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”

COMMENTARY: When Jesus was only eight days old, Simeon fully understood who Jesus was and why His life mattered.

COMMENTARY: Simeon saw baby Jesus for who he really was . . .

The Savior of the world.

Hope for humanity.

God’s gift to us.

Image - My Baby Picture SLIDE

COMMENTARY: Speaking of babies, can you name this baby?

INSTRUCTIONS: Show a picture of yourself when you were a baby, and give students a few chances to guess who it is.

COMMENTARY: Yep, this adorable little baby got old and is now standing here talking to you about Christmas.

COMMENTARY: It is weird to think about the friends and adults we know as babies, right?

Scripture - Philippians 2:5-8 - God Chose To Become a Baby SLIDE

COMMENTARY: I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but babies are helpless! They need someone to take care of them at all time.

They have no authority, no power, no skills, and no possessions. So it’s kind of odd to imagine the God of the universe as a baby.

COMMENTARY: It’s hard to believe that Jesus, God Himself, was born just like you and I were.

He was small. He cried. He needed His parents to care for Him, to feed Him, and to change Him.

God, the Creator and Savior of the world, became a baby so He could live among us.

COMMENTARY: Many people in the story of Jesus’ birth gave a lot in order to make the first Christmas happen.

These were all huge sacrifices, but there was one sacrifice that started it all: God’s sacrifice.

COMMENTARY: We often say Jesus’ birth was God’s gift to us. On that first Christmas, God (in the form of Jesus)

chose to . . .

Humble Himself.

Enter the world He created.

Constrain Himself in a human body.

Begin a life He knew would be brief and would end in His death.

COMMENTARY: God came to us as a baby. A small, helpless, hungry, and vulnerable little human — not a mighty king walking the earth in glory and honor, but a child. READ...

Philippians 2:5–8 NKJV

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

COMMENTARY: Jesus gave up so much just by coming to earth, but His birth is only the beginning of the story.

Scripture - John 3:16-17 SLIDE

COMMENTARY: Here’s a little secret, Jesus coming to earth as a baby was all a part of the plan to save the world.

COMMENTARY: Let’s take a look at a couple of verses that are typically more associated with Easter than Christmas — because, when you think about it, Easter wasn’t the only time God made a big sacrifice for us.

COMMENTARY: Does anyone know the verse John 3:16 by heart? What about the verse after it? READ...

John 3:16–17 NKJV

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Jesus came to earth, giving up everything, so we could have eternal life and a relationship with God.

This was part of God’s rescue mission since the very beginning of creation. Why? Because God loves us so much.

Jesus’ conception and birth story was already miraculous, but it was only the beginning of an even greater miracle. The real miracle is that our Creator came to earth to save us.

COMMENTARY: On the first Christmas, God gave everything. This Christmas, what will you and I do with the gift of Jesus?

Reflection & Response Time - Giving Our All - Write It Down, Give It Up SLIDE

Reflection Time - Giving Our All

COMMENTARY: Think about the best Christmas present you’ve ever received. What made it so great? Why was it so special?

COMMENTARY: Whatever that Christmas present may be, it pales in comparison to what God has given all of us through Jesus, the Savior who came to make all things new.

COMMENTARY: Let’s try something different today, let’s do an exercise today. I am going to ask everyone to close their eyes and reflect on a couple of ideas pertaining to todays message. Let’s All Close Our Eyes...

For some of you, maybe this is the first time you’re hearing or realizing that the Christmas story is just the beginning of a story that’s all about God’s mission to rescue you.

Jesus was born, knowing He would die, but His life didn’t end with a grave. Jesus is alive today! He’s the conquerer of death and offers all of us a chance to share in that new life.

For others of you, maybe you’ve had a relationship with God for a while, but it’s been some time since you’ve paused to think about how great of a sacrifice Jesus made for you. If you’ve known Jesus for a long time and feel like your faith has become a little mundane, this Christmas is an opportunity for you to take a moment and remember just how much God gave for you.

COMMENTARY: Let’s Open Our Eyes...

Response Time - Write it Down, Give It Up

COMMENTARY: Before we wrap things up today, I want us all to write down one thing we’re going to do about the gift God has given us this Christmas.

Do you need to receive God’s gift for the first time?

Do you need to thank God for that gift?

Do you need to make a change in your life that shows how much God’s gift has

changed you?

COMMENTARY: This Christmas, what will you do with the gift God has given you?

COMMENTARY: I am going to play a 3 min Christmas Song called Silent night and as the song plays write down the things God is speaking to you.

COMMENTARY: And when we leave here, take that card home with you and put it somewhere you’ll see it over the next few weeks.

COMMENTARY: Put it on your mirror, on the table next to your bed, or on your pillow so that every morning you’ll remember the incredible gift God has given you and that is everything.

APPLICATION: This Christmas, how will you respond to the gift God has given you? And what will you give so that others can respond to God’s gift too?

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