Humble for the Holidays

Intro:

Have yourself a MERRY little Christmas

Oh what FUN it is to ride

You will get a sentimental feeling when you hear Voices singing, let's be jolly

Have a holly, JOLLY

Every good christmas movies gives you a warm fuzzy feeling inside

Christmas on its surface is a time of pure joy, celebrations, gifts, family and friends. But the reality for many students is that with more free time in December there is more self evaluation, more loneliness, more sadness and anxiety.

Because the reality of an American Christmas can be summed up in the word selfishness.

We get sad because we have no one to cuddle with and are reminded of your singleness

We spend most of our time thinking about what WE WANT and our then discontent until we get it

You didn’t realize that you needed a weighted blanket but now you can’t sleep with out it

You have plenty of shoes but unless you get air force ones you can’t walk

Don’t make me tell my ihome story again

We no longer can waltz into the holiday season expecting bounds of holly and cups of jolly or whatever. The world uses the holiday season to attack the joy of teens. Christmas morning leaves you discontent and bored. We need to go to Gods word to prepare for this season, and ultimately to use our Christmas the way Jesus did. By putting of Selfishness and putting on Humility. Thats really what Jesus did on Christmas, not that he has sinful selfishness to put off but He did put on the most extreme humility he could by leaving his royal, heavenly home to be born as a baby.

If you want to use your Christmas like Jesus did, then put off selfishness and put on humility.

Turn to Phil 2 where we will find the 3 truths you need to have a Christlike Christmas

The community of Christianity v.2

Phil 2.2 “make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.”

Explain

Unity must describes the community of Christians

Paul appeals to his friends at this church to complete His joy. This church is a result of a lot of time and hard work from Paul and he tells them if you do these 4 things my job is finished my joy is fulfilled.

And in a sense he says to be unified. Because unity amongst believers glorifies God.

Substantiate - support from text

Romans 14:19 “So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.”

1 Cor 12:12 “For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.”

When we are called by Christ we are called into 1 family, even 1 BODY. Just like a father is ashamed of siblings fighting in public God is displeased with disunity in His family.

Now most people don’t describe their high school life as one of unity and harmony. But of turmoil and strife. We talk about the drama, the fights, the break-ups. Maybe you find yourself always in the middle of an issue, friendships constantly ending, you smell like meat because of the beef you’ve always got.

Let me tell you, if your life is not one of unity with the family of God you need to ask yourself if you’re in the family. Because God’s children have one goal, GOD’s GLORY - not their own. Unity is impossible when you are seeking to fulfill your ego rather than God’s will.

Illustrate

There is nothing worst than a ball hog. You know what I am talking about. The kid on the team whose reputation and ego gets in the way of winning. Sadly, I once was this kid when I played soccer but I learned my lesson at 11 years old. I often would not pass the ball because I wanted everyone to see how good i was by myself, I would play dirty because I thought I can get away with it, I talked trash - I was an 11 year old average soccer player who thought that I was Ronaldo. I put my ego before the teams goal. And this built up to the one moment that a really tall kid challenged my pride by punching me in the stomach when the ref wasn’t looking. I was shocked, overwhelmed and enraged my cheek didn’t turn. And you could say we got in a fight but that wouldn’t be very accurate. I went crazy and started swinging my fists everywhere kicking, spitting. I was out for blood and then I was kicked out of the game, my team had to play with 10 guys instead of 11 and we totally lost. All because I cared more about myself than my team MY FAULT.

If you find yourself constantly in drama, fights, tension, with your friends or your family it may be time to stop pointing the finger and confess that you are the source. Disunity follows the “ball hogs” of life.

Application

Let this Christmas act as a reminder that YOU ARE SELFISH. And seek unity this holiday season by being INTENTIONALLY Selfless. The first step in unity is humbly seeking reconciliation. Admit that you are wrong, initiate the uncomfortable conversation with that person before you leave. Apologize to you parents or siblings tonight for the sake of God glorifying unity.

But the way to unity is POINT #2 and ATTITUDE of Humility.

The attitude of Christianity v.3-5 READ

Phil 2.3-5 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,”

Explain

Paul gives 2 negatives and 1 positive command that help us use our Christmas the way Jesus did BY GOING RIGHT TO the heart of what Christ did at Christmas He put on Humility but in order for sinful people like us, we first need to PUT OFF selfishness before we can put on Humility.

(—)Put off selfishness - do nothing that is motivated by your own profit or pleasure.

(—) Put off empty conceit - do nothing that promotes your position, prestige, popularity

Isn’t that tough in a season when you’re being asked what do YOU want? When your mind is dwelling on what YOU don’t have. To escape the infectious selfishness.

I displayed my selfishness growing up every Christmas by getting my Dad a video game that I really wanted. So that I could play it when he wasn’t.

Even my gift giving was selfish!

BUT How many of you are daily consumed with fulfilling your desires and promoting your own glory this holiday season by doing things like...

Bragging your latests achievements to family that comes to town

By expecting and almost feeling entitled to being catered to by your parents

That past year may have been filled w/ you rebelling, disobeying and being problematic in the house but ITS CHRISTMAS, I am your kid and I DEMAND A PONY - not how it works

Or with your friends you feel entitled to be invited to every hangout, included in every groupchat, part of every inside joke.

Your selfishness may manifest by not inviting certain people because, “we have issues” “they kill the vibe”

Listen we cannot put on humility until we COMPLETLEY PUT OFF selfishness and if you have a faint hint of the“I am deserving” attitude than any form of humility you put on is a self righteous facade.

Ask God to replace your selfish heart with a selfless one AND THEN

(—) Put ON Humility - how? READ

Regard others as more important (greater in value) than yourselves

Don’t look out for your own interests but the interests of others

Think of all the ways your relationships would change if you considered others more important than you.

Some people you would admit are more important than you; like the president (maybe), Justin Bieber, Santa.

Lets go with your favorite music artist - you’d say they are more important than you.

If you were with them and they said “can you grb me a water” I garauntee you’d jump up and grab them a water

When they spoke to you, you’d listen to their words intently

If you were going to get food, you’d ask them what they want

When we value others higher than ourselves we show it with the way we conduct ourselves

I challenge you to apply Gods word to your life specifically with your parents.

If you consider them more important than yourself and look out for their interests you will seek to serve them.

You will not hesitate to obey them

You will be honest with them

You will spend time with them

Apply God’s word to your friendships PLEASE

Just be a good friend.

Too many teens see friends as merely beneficial to them.

Think about how the things you are about to say, might affect someone.

Differ to what others want

Serve your peers by being a selfless friend not a selfish one

READ Look to Christ as the ultimate example… which leads to the last truth you NEED to know to use your Christmas like Jesus did.

The CENTER of Christianity  v.6-11 READ

Phil 2.6-11 “who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Explain

This passage could be a six week series. It is the THEOLOGICAL view on Jesus’ birth, the most important miracle to ever occur. If you are going to PUT of selfishness and PUT on Humility, if you are going to use your Christmas like Jesus you must see the best example which is right here.

Jesus wasn’t just a good man, he wasnt a reincarnated prophet, he wasn’t a special teacher HE WAS God who came into the humanity HE CREATED. He didn’t look at equality with God as a thing to be grapsed meaning his incarnation was an unselfish act of leaving the comfort and glory he had in Heaven to come down and live an uncomfortable life. He didn’t storm the gates of Isreal and take over. He lived as a carpenters son, he washed his disciples feet, he served.

And ultimately he obeyed His heavenly fathers will, which was for Him to executed on a cross by the men He created. and then take the punishment for sin upon himself although he had no sin. It was the punishment you and I deserve.

But the Christmas story doesn’t end there, The Father exalted Christ by Resurrecting him from the dead 3 days later, proving his sacrifice for sin is good and complete, 40 days later the Father ascended Him into heaven where he returned to all his glory, he sits back on His high throne, he prepares a place for all of the reedemed and he interceeds for us.

And He has been given the name that at which every Knee should, will and must bow either in this life or when its too late, in the next.

Jesus proved to not only be a suffering servant but the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the highest and most important person in existence. The only person worthy of your life.

Tonight maybe for the first time he has now illuminated through his word the true Christmas story, which is that if you would sumbit your entire life to him, SURRENDER yourself, confess that JEsus is Lord and repent from your sins, you can be saved, you can be free from the selfishness that once held you captive and you can and will put on humility because Christ is worthy of everything and we are wrthy of nothing.

True Christians cannot stand the thought of stealing any of the glory reserved for Jesus, we must give him our all.

Conclusion:

God requires you to get your eyes off yourself and on to Christ this Christmas. Put off your selfishness and put on humility like Christ did by condescending from his heavenly home to suffer for your sake because you sinned against him and continue to sin against him.

Would you seek unity by sacrificing your own desires, your entitlement, reputation and pride and be reconciled to others because you have Christ.

Repent of all your selfishness. See it as the sin that it is. It required Christ to go to the cross and be punished. Ask for accountability, ask your parents where they see selfishness in your life, ask your friends how you have acted selfishly and ask for forgiveness.

Put on humility by serving.

Grab flowers for your mom on your way home tonight

Tell your parents you are grateful for them and you're sorry for all the ways you are selfish

Consider others before making plans