Christmas Eve Sermon
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Series: Christmas 2025
Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11
Subject: Christmas
Central Theme: Responding at Christmas
Objective Statement: We should respond to Christmas in three ways.
We should celebrate how Jesus came.
We should imitate what Jesus did.
We should elevate who Jesus is.
Introduction
Connection
There is a choice that happens to every parent when it comes to Christmas.
Do we do the Santa Clause thing?Am I going to teach my kids about Santa Clause?
Do I let my kids believe that Santa Clause is the one bringing gifts?
I am not particularly against “Santa Clause”.
It’s kind of fun.
There is history about a guy named Nicolas, who was a believer in Christ, and particularly generous.
In fact, the story goes (and I have no knowledge of whether this is true) that he was involved in a debate over the arian heresy that Jesus was a created being. Apparently, Nicolas punched Arius.
Someone on the internet put this to the tune of “Up on the Rooftop”
Up at Nicaea, bishops pause--Arius and Santa Claus!
One claims a time when the Son was not:
One says that's a heretical thought.
Ho! ho! ho!
Who's gonna go?
Ho! ho! ho!
Who's gonna go?
Off with a a right hook! Good St. Nick!
Down goes the dirty heretic.
I love the internet…lol
Tension
Why do I bring up Santa Clause?
Well, because in the debate on whether or not we should give him credit for our gift giving, my perspective has always been that I want my kids to be able to express thanks to me and their mother as the stewards of their gifts.
We tell them that God has been good and gracious to us to be able to afford to give gifts.
We tell them that they should be thankful to grandparents, aunts and uncles, church family that give them gifts, and to God who provided for it.
Imagine at your Christmas gathering tonight or tomorrow. Your child opens the presents, and then borrows your phone and dials 7 numbers at random and thanks them for the Christmas presents.
I know this is very random illustration, but I believe that is what many in the world are doing at Christmas.
Billboard Holiday 100 This morning:
5. Santa Tell Me- Ariana Grande
4. Last Christmas- Wham!
3. Rocking Around the Christmas Tree- Brenda Lee
2. Jingle Bell Rock- Billy Helms
1. All I Want for Christmas is You- Mariah Carey
The first mention of Jesus in the songs on the Billboard 100- #58- O Come All Ye Faithful- Nat King Cole.
In our songs, at least, we have a glimpse of how our world deals with Christmas.
It’s separated from the real meaning of it.
It’s easier to think of the bells that jingle on a sleigh, the snow, the trees, and lights and trappings…than about Jesus.
Christmas really is the celebration of a gift- the gift of the person and work of Jesus Christ.
In Philippians 4 we read one of the greatest summaries of who Jesus is, why he came, and how we should respond.
This text teaches the theological truth of the Incarnation. It summarizes Christianity.
In this text, we see how we ought to respond at Christmas.
We should respond to Christmas in three ways.
We should respond to Christmas in three ways.
1. We should celebrate how Jesus came. (Philippians 2:5-7)
1. We should celebrate how Jesus came. (Philippians 2:5-7)
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
“Being in the form of God" - the precise representation of "equal w/ God".
In every way Jesus was God and is God.
This was exemplified in Jesus’ own position and teaching of Himself during his life.
18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
In these verses (Phil. 2) we learn an astounding truth.
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
There was a time where Jesus was God but not man. There was never a time where He was man but not God.
He added humanity to His divinity.
If Jesus was not God, then He is no more useful than Santa Claus.
But He is God!
The Greatest Descent
Man → Servant
A servant/Slave /doulos in the ancient world was a worker who had no ownership.
Jesus lived like this, though He owned everything.
Think about what Jesus borrowed.
Borrowed…
Manger
Donkey
Upper Room
Grave
Christianity celebrates God becoming man. He became we. He became like one of us.
Here is the second way we should celebrate Christmas.
2. We should imitate what Jesus did. (Philippians 2:8)
2. We should imitate what Jesus did. (Philippians 2:8)
Do you remember how this text started?
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
How he thought impacted what he did.
He became a man (v.6-7).
Then…
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
The Descent continues.
man → death → cross
He was obedient to death by humbling himself.
Humbling yourself is obeying God and serving others.
Jesus never pulled the "God card"
He used His authority for the good of others & the glory of God.
This was best demonstrated in His death on the cross.
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Jesus humbled Himself to death on the cross so that we could be saved from the just penalty of our sins.
This is the real gift at Christmas.
Jesus died for us.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
There is the present.
Take it. Open it up. Receive it.
Don’t just know that He is there. Don’t just know that He came and died for you. Receive Him.
That leads to the third way we should celebrate Christmas.
3. We should elevate who Jesus is. (Philippians 2:9-11)
3. We should elevate who Jesus is. (Philippians 2:9-11)
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
God has given Jesus the name above every name - Lord.
Not just a baby in a manger.
Not just a savior on a cross.
Jesus is the King on the Throne!
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
8 I am the Lord: that is my name: And my glory will I not give to another, Neither my praise to graven images.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Jesus is his name in His humiliation!
Lord is His name in his exaltation!
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
To bow the knee is a sign of surrender. Every person will bow.
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Song- O Come All Ye Faithful
Song- O Come All Ye Faithful
