‘Tis the Season (December 22, 2024)
Sermon Outline for Sunday, December 22, 2024
PASSAGES: Luke 2:10–11; Luke 2:29–32; Matthew 1:21; Galatians 4:4–5
As we get closer and closer to Christmas Day, the rushing and busyness of the holiday season gets stronger and stronger. People’s fuses get shorter and shorter as well. Sometimes we just need to STOP and see what Christ is for us, even in the busy lives we have.
We need to STOP and remember who HE IS TO US!!! ‘Tis the Season to STOP and look at the manager! ‘Tis the Season to STOP and look at the Cross!!!
Luke 2:10–11 ~ “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. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
December 1st, the sermon title was “What if there were no Christmas?” and December 15th, the sermon title was “What does Christmas Mean?” In both of those sermons, we looked at the meaning, methods of celebrating and an overall view of the Christmas holiday in our lives. We saw in both of those sermons and in our culture and world today, there has been an increasing activity to secularize Christmas entirely. Some people are determined to take Christ completely our of Christmas all together. If we do this, if we completely secularize Christmas, if we completely remove Christ from Christmas, if we just live like Jesus coming in to this world was NOT an event worth celebrating all together … then what are we truly saying?
We are saying that we should just forget His revelation, when Simeon made a statement about Christ eight days after Jesus was born.
Luke 2:29–32 ~ “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
We are saying that we should just forget His salvation. By leaving Jesus out, we turn away from our only chance of salvation. There is no other name by which we might be saved. Without Jesus, we’re doomed to die in our sins. Without Jesus, we have no way of being judged as righteous before the Father. Without Jesus, there is no escape from the penalty of sin: hell. When we leave out Jesus, we’re turning away from God’s free offer of grace.
Matthew 1:21 ~ “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
When we leave Jesus out of Christmas, we should just forget about His adoption of you and I. When we leave out Jesus, we turn away from the prospect of a relationship with God. Without Jesus, there is only a cruel dark world with no hope of knowing God. Without Jesus, we’re left to our own devices. Without Jesus, we’re only promised an eternity of loneliness and torment. We should never forget that Jesus is the reason for the season.
Galatians 4:4–5 ~ “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
Without Jesus, we should just forget what He was and is all throughout the Bible for you and I:
- Genesis – Creator and Promised Redeemer
- Exodus – the Passover Lamb
- Leviticus – High Priest
- Numbers – Water in the Desert
- Deuteronomy – He becomes the curse for us
- Joshua – Commander of the Army of the Lord
- Judges – Delivers us from injustice
- Ruth – our Kinsman-Redeemer
- 1 Samuel – all in one, He is the Prophet / Priest / King
- 2 Samuel – King of grace and love
- 1 Kings – a Ruler greater than Solomon
- 2 Kings – the powerful prophet
- 1 Chronicles – Son of David that is coming to rule
- 2 Chronicles – the King who reigns eternally
- Ezra – Priest proclaiming freedom
- Nehemiah – the One who restores what is broken down
- Esther – Protector of His people
- Job – Mediator between God and man
- Psalms – our song in the morning and in the night
- Proverbs – our wisdom
- Ecclesiastes – our meaning for life
- Song of Solomon – Author of faithful love
- Isaiah – Suffering Servant
- Jeremiah – the weeping Messiah
- Lamentations – He assumes God’s wrath for us
- Ezekiel – Son of Man
- Daniel – the stranger in the fire with us
- Hosea – faithful husband even when we run away
- Joel – He is sending His Spirit to His people
- Amos – delivers justice to the oppressed
- Obadiah – Judge of those who do evil
- Jonah – the greatest missionary
- Micah – He casts our sin into the sea of forgetfulness
- Nahum – proclaims future world peace we cannot even imagine
- Habakkuk – crushes injustice
- Zephaniah – the Warrior who saves
- Haggai – restores our worship
- Zechariah – prophesies a Messiah pierced for us
- Malachi – sun of righteousness who brings healing
- Matthew – the Messiah who is King
- Mark – the Messiah who is a Servant
- Luke – the Messiah who is a Deliverer
- John – the Messiah who is God in the flesh
- Acts – the Spirit who dwells in His people
- Romans – the righteousness of God
- 1 Corinthians – the power and love of God
- 2 Corinthians – He is the down payment of what’s to come
- Galatians – He is our very life
- Ephesians – the unity of our church
- Philippians – the joy of our life
- Colossians – hols the supreme position in all things
- 1 Thessalonians – our comfort in the last days
- 2 Thessalonians – our returning King
- 1 Timothy – Savior of the worst sinners
- 2 Timothy – leader of leaders
- Titus – foundation of truth
- Philemon – our Mediator
- Hebrews – our High Priest
- James – He matures our faith
- 1 Peter – our hope in times of suffering
- 2 Peter – the One who guards us from false teaching
- 1 John – source of all fellowship
- 2 John – God in the flesh
- 3 John – source of all truth
- Jude – protects us from stumbling
- Revelation – King of Kings and Lord of Lords; the Alpha and the Omega; the Beginning and the End; He is coming again; the One who makes all things new!
I don’t know about you, but I am so glad that ‘TIS THE SEASON for JESUS!!!
Pastor Andy Lambert
Call/Text: 205.642.8744 ext 101