"The Greatness of Christmas"

December 24, 2023

FBC Baxley

am service

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Welcome radio and online guests…

*It’s ok if you’re broken, unfaithful, lost, we are too and we are here seeking God’s will and way and plan.

We are all prodigals here…

Some rescued….Some Not..

All Loved…

*Acts 4:12 (repeat)

*John 3:16

Sermon Title: “The Greatness of Christmas”

Scripture Passage: Luke 2:10-11

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

PRAY

3 Points:

1. The Great Proclaimation

2. The Great Person

3. The Great Proposal

Story: “The Man & the Birds” (Paul Harvey)

There was a man, that to anyone’s understanding was not a scrooge, he was a kind, decent, mostly good man. Generous to his family, upright in his dealings with other men.

But he just didn’t believe all that incarnation stuff which the churches proclaim at Christmas Time.

It just didn’t make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn’t swallow the Jesus Story, about God coming to Earth as a man.

“I’m truly sorry to distress you,” he told his wife, “but I’m not going with you to church this Christmas Eve.” He said he’d feel like a hypocrite. That he’d much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. And so he stayed and they went to the midnight service.

Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper.

Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound. Then another, and then another. Sort of a thump or a thud. At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against his living room window. But when he went to the front door to investigate he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow.

They’d been caught in the storm and, in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large landscape window.

Well, he couldn’t let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it.

Quickly he put on a coat, galoshes, tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house, fetched bread crumbs, sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail to the yellow-lighted wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow.

He tried catching them. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms.

Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn.

And then, he realized, that they were afraid of him.

To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me. That I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them.

But how? Because any move he made tended to frighten them, confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him.

“If only I could be a bird,” he thought to himself, “and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to safe, warm …to the safe warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see, and hear and understand.”

At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind. And he stood there listening to the bells – Adeste Fidelis – listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. And he sank to his knees in the snow.

Introduction:

Today we come to celebrate the Christmas season, our hearts are filled with anticipation and joy.

Christmas is more than just a holiday; it is a divine proclamation of greatness that echoes through the ages.

Today, we turn our attention to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2, verses 10-11, where we find the timeless message of the greatness of Christmas.

I. The Proclamation of Greatness

In Luke 2:10, the angel announces to the shepherds, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people."

The first aspect of the greatness of Christmas is the proclamation of joy. (GREAT JOY)...Great News…

The birth of Jesus is not merely an event; it is a source of unparalleled joy. The joy proclaimed on that holy night extends to all people, transcending barriers of nationality, ethnicity, and social status.

-You may find temp. happiness, or pleasure in the world. But it’s just temporary!!

The greatness of Christmas lies in the universal joy…(real joy)… offered to humanity through the Savior's birth.

II. The Person of Greatness - Jesus Christ

In verse 11, the angel reveals the heart of Christmas: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

The second aspect of the greatness of Christmas is the source of that greatness – Jesus Christ. (Great, Great Savior!)

The birth of Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promise to send a Savior, the Messiah.

In Jesus, we find the embodiment of God's love, grace, and salvation.

The greatness of Christmas is not found in the festivities or traditions but in the person of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

III. The Personal Proposal to Experience Greatness

The greatness of Christmas is not a distant spectacle; it is an invitation for us to experience personally.

In response to the angelic proclamation, the shepherds hurried to see the newborn Savior.

In our lives, the third aspect of the greatness of Christmas is the invitation to encounter Jesus.

-because we are great sinners-

This invitation calls us to approach the manger with humility, faith, and gratitude.

Christmas is not just a historical event; it is an ongoing, personal encounter with the greatness of Jesus Christ.

Life Applications:

1: Embrace the Joy of Christmas

Let us embrace the joy of Christmas in our hearts and share it with those around us.

The good news of great joy is a message that transcends circumstances, bringing hope, peace, and gladness.

In the midst of challenges, let the joy of Christmas be our strength.

2: Draw Near to Jesus

This Christmas, let us draw near to Jesus with a renewed commitment to seek Him in prayer, study His Word, and cultivate a deep relationship with our Savior.

The greatness of Christmas becomes transformational when we personally encounter the living Christ.

3: Share the Good News

As recipients of the good news of great joy, we are called to share this message with others.

In our families, communities, and beyond, let us be messengers of hope and love, pointing people to the true source of greatness – Jesus Christ.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the greatness of Christmas is a profound reality that extends beyond tinsel and lights.

It is a message of joy, a revelation of Jesus Christ as the source of greatness, and an invitation for us to experience that greatness in our lives.

As we celebrate this Christmas season, may our hearts overflow with the greatness of Christ, and may we be vessels of His love and grace to a world in need.

PRAY

Invitation

“Are you born again?”

Is your name written in the Lambs Book of Life?

“Have you surrendered/repented to Jesus?