Grateful | Matthew 1:18–25

*PK in GREEN

*Josh in RED

WHAT? What are we talking about today?

For some of us, Christmas sparks a significant amount of excitement and expectation, and we wonder what gifts we will find underneath the tree, looking forward to spending time with family and friends and making more great memories. For some of us, Christmas is like living in a Hallmark movie; everything is picture-perfect.

VIDEO | A Clip from a Hallmark Christmas Movie

INSTRUCTIONS: As a teaching tool, play a short clip like this one (0:00–1:26) from Hallmark's Check Inn to Christmas, where Christmas seems perfect.

Everything in that movie was picturesque, the scenery, the actors, the layout, and the decorations. All of it was perfect. The reality is that for some of us, Christmas never feels like this. Christmas may represent disappointment, heartache, and nothing under the tree. Christmas isn't always a Hallmark movie. Although sometimes nice, it's also messy and complicated. How can we still be thankful when it's not this perfectly crafted image we see in the movies?

STORY | An Imperfect Christmas

The holidays are not always perfect. I know because I have experienced many holidays. Some are great, and others have us faking endless positivity because we want to give others the perfect holiday.

Optimism and positivity are helpful in the right setting and to change our perspective, but it's ok to sit in heaviness if that's what's needed. We want to be honest about how we're feeling but not lose sight of the good things God is doing in our life. What does thankfulness look like in the middle of real difficulty?

SO WHAT? Why does it matter to God and to us?

SCRIPTURE | Matthew 1:18–25, 2:9–15

You would think that the birth of Jesus, the savior of the world, would be a lot like a Hallmark Christmas movie — magical, full of joy, and angels singing on high, perfect, and lovely. After Jesus is born, it becomes more like a horror movie. Check it out.

Matthew 1:18–25 (NIV)

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Matthew 2:9–15 (NIV)

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

King Herod, the ruler of Judea, was not a good guy. He was a prideful leader who sought to destroy anyone who questioned his authority. Herod was approached by three Magi, eastern astronomers, who found a star announcing the "King of the Jews." They didn't know it then, but they were searching for Jesus.

The fact that the Magi called Jesus the "King" sent King Herod reeling in anger. Herod was so insecure that he sent them to find this "King." He lied, saying he wished to worship and honor the child, but really he wanted to kill the baby. The Magi and Joseph were warned in dreams to escape because Herod was unhappy and wanted to destroy Jesus. Mary and Joseph took Jesus and fled to Egypt because their lives were at risk.

Talk about a difficult circumstance!

Mary and Joseph wanted to celebrate their baby's birth and thank God for the gift they received. Instead, they had to leave their home as refugees to keep Jesus from being killed. I wonder how often Mary and Joseph shifted between despair and hope. They were thankful for their miracle baby born in an impossible situation. I wonder if they found being grateful hard. This is how things happen sometimes. We have an idea of a great situation but don't expect twists and turns. Maybe, like Mary and Joseph, we feel chaos instead of peace. When this happens, we might wonder,

"How can I be thankful right now?"

Mary and Joseph weren't thankful that a powerful king was seeking to destroy their son, but there was plenty to be thankful for. Perhaps they gave thanks to God for warning them about danger in their dreams, for their safe travel, and for God's provision when they were refugees in Egypt. They noticed that God was still with them and at work in all things. And even though it was hard, knowing God was with them gave them something to be grateful for.

SCRIPTURE | 1 Thessalonians 5:16–24

Throughout the Bible, we see many people in difficult circumstances and how they handle the messiness of life. Paul, one of the founders of the Early Church who fully understands messiness, wrote to a church in Thessalonica about thankfulness.

INSTRUCTIONS: Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16–24

1 Thessalonians 5:16–24 (ESV)

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Paul was worried for the people at this new Christian church in Thessalonica. At the time, they were being persecuted, their property was being taken, and new Christian believers were shunned by their families. Some in this church were insulted, some beaten, and some put to death. They were experiencing suffering of the worst kind. Paul was deeply concerned for these young Christians going through immense trials. Still, in his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul encourages them to rejoice always, pray without stopping, and give thanks in every circumstance. He said this with full knowledge of their hardship, not to cover over the hurt but to support each other through it as a community. We can take this encouragement to heart. Although we would like to stew, remain bitter, and pull away from God, Paul knows that remaining close and practicing gratitude is how we survive without drowning. In the same way, Mary and Joseph trusted God in their exile, we can rejoice, pray, and thank God for staying close to us. We can be thankful even when it's not easy.

1 Thessalonians 5:16–24 (ESV)

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

NOW WHAT? What does God want us to do about it?

We have seen God working through difficult circumstances in our lives and the Bible stories we read. There are so many threads in Bible, woven together, all pointing to Jesus as God's rescue plan for us. This truth is perfectly summed up in the Christmas story – many generations coming together to welcome this baby into our broken world. In the midst of challenging moments, remember to be truly thankful — and not just to get through the holidays.

BE THANKFUL GOD'S NOT DONE YET.

One of the hardest things for many of us who follow Jesus is we don't have God's perspective. God has a view of everything in our lives, the lives of everyone around us, and world events. It's okay to be confused about what's happening, but know God will not leave you in a bad situation. Trust God has a great plan for you, and choose to be thankful for the bright places in your journey.

IT'S OKAY NOT TO BE OKAY.

Holding onto unrealistic positivity can distract us from feeling heartfelt gratitude. No one lives in a Hallmark movie, so be honest about how you feel and courageously count the things you are truly grateful for. Like Joseph and Mary, listen to the community and messages God sends you and follow through, even if it is scary and unexpected like it was for them.

RESIST FAKE OPTIMISM.

Have you ever met someone who responds this way when something hard happens in your life, "Well, it could be worse," or, "Just don't think about it." These statements rarely help any situation or how we feel. Genuine encouragement, like how Paul responded to the persecuted Thessalonians, is essential to acknowledging pain but giving a perspective change in the midst of it. Instead of fake optimism, encourage others to continue their journey, even when it's not easy.

RESPONSE | I See God's Goodness

Thankfulness is a decision we make every day. It is a habit we can continually work on that will eventually become second nature over time. What if, for the next few weeks leading into the new year, you made it a practice to notice God's goodness in three different ways each day?

*I know God is good because… poll…

PRAYER | I Am Thankful

The story of Jesus and his family fleeing from an evil ruler is one of many stories in the Bible where people find thankfulness in difficult situations. Outside of the Bible, we know people in our own lives who have found gratitude even when it's not easy.

Paul reminds us to rejoice always, meaning to find joy in every situation. He also says to pray continually, which is tough, but the longer we talk to God, the more connected we'll feel. Maybe we can put these two ideas together and ask God in prayer to help us notice the joy in our everyday lives. The Christmas story tells of Jesus' arrival, then immediately experiencing our damaged world through Herod's hatred and violence. Jesus knows our every trouble and imperfect ordeal and shows us how to focus on gratitude and thankfulness. This Christmas, let's choose tangible ways to be grateful and give thanks in all circumstances. For the next few moments, you will have the chance to reflect on a challenging experience you are going through. Spend time asking God to show you honest places where you can be grateful for where God is at work.

INSTRUCTIONS: For this prayer, you will need prayer vigil candles like these and hand them out to your students. Have a leader light one candle, then, students pass that light to a neighbor. As they do this, encourage them to pray, thanking God for all the ways God is active in their life. We suggest dimming the lights and playing a reflective Christmas song like "Silent Night" by Lauren Daigle.

Just like the candle is light for the room, Jesus is a light of hope you can hold onto with gratefulness when you are in a foggy place. Remember how the flame starts on a single candle but is easily passed from person to person without losing light? We can do this for each other this Christmas and year-round. We can be there for each other, pointing people toward Jesus like John the Baptist. This Christmas, remember that we can be grateful for Jesus and the hope he brings to the entire world. Jesus is our light in the darkness — a reminder to

be thankful even when it's not easy.

*Josh lead out in prayer*