THE PURPOSE OF CHRISTMAS - Amazon S3



THE PURPOSE OF CHRISTMAS

Advent Worship Series – Week 1

A Change of Celebration

November 29, 2009

|WORSHIP SERVICE OUTLINES |

|Each worship outline contains all elements needed for your worship service. The order of each service presented is only a |

|suggestion. No doubt changes will be needed to accommodate the flow and worship style of your corps. The outlines are flexible |

|and allow opportunities to “cut and paste” as needed. If you are blessed with instrumental or vocal music resources, you may find|

|there is more structured material here than needed. It is recommended that the headings of each section of the service be |

|included in the bulletin. |

Announcements and Offering

Call to Worship:

Christmas…it’s the largest celebration around the world each year. Other holidays get a single day, but Christmas is emphasized for an entire month, one twelfth of every year. During the Christmas season, billions of people set aside their normal routines to decorate their homes, send out greeting cards, buy gifts, go to Christmas parties, attend church services, sing Christmas songs, watch Christmas TV specials, and travel long distances to be with their families.

When you stop to think about it, it is astounding that the simple, unassuming birth of a peasant boy born two thousand years ago in the Middle East has caused such commotion.

Because of Jesus, history is divided into BC (before Christ) and AD (anno Domini, in the year of the Lord). Every other event in history and every event on your calendar today is dated by how many days and years it has been since Jesus Christ appeared on earth. Even your birthday is dated by his birthday.

(The Purpose of Christmas, pages 3-4)

|SB#73 – All hail the power |TB-69 – Diadem |HTD6-T7 (4 vs.) |

|HC#141 – All Hail the Power |HC-141 |HCD13 –T11 |

| Additional Optional Songs |

|HC#151 – Fairest Lord Jesus |HC-151 |HCD14-T11 |

|SB#77 – Fairest Lord Jesus |TB-206 - Ascalon |HTD5-T1 (3 vs.) |

Advent Candle Lighting:

Leader: The night Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, a small group of poor shepherds were quietly tending to their flocks of sheep in a nearby field. Looking up at the stars, nothing seemed any different from a thousand other nights. But what was about to happen would transform not only the shepherds’ lives but billions of other lives as well. The world would never be the same. Suddenly a bright light lit up the sky, and an angel from God appeared about them and began speaking to them. It seemed unbelievable and scared them. The Bible gives us the original Christmas story:

Solo 1: There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over

Their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them,

Solo 2: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Solo 1: Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

Solo 1&2: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:8-14 NIV)

[Lighting of Advent candle]

|SB#116 – O come, all ye faithful |TB-496 – Adeste Fideles |HTD3 –T1 (3 vs.) |

| |HC-140 | |

|HC#140 – O Come, All Ye Faithful | |HCD12-T20 |

| | | |

| Additional Optional Songs |

|SB#108 – Hark! the herald angels sing |TB-270 – Hark! The Herald Angels |HTD4-T5 (3 vs.) |

| |Sing | |

|HC#270 – Hark! the herald angels sing |HC-270 |HCD25-T20 |

|SB#113 – Joy to the world! |TB-97 – Joy to the World! |HTD4-T9 (3 vs.) |

|HC#176 – Holy is the Lord |HC-176 |HCD16-T16 |

Pastoral Prayer:

When God is Near, You Lose Your Fear

Responsive Reading:

Leader: The first purpose of Christmas is celebration! We learn this from the angel’s opening statement to the shepherds of Bethlehem. God has wonderful new for us that would cause us all to rejoice, celebrate, and throw a party:

All: I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. (Luke

2:10 NIV)

Leader: The good news of Christmas is worth celebrating for three reasons:

It is personal: “I bring YOU.”

It is positive: “Good news of great JOY.”

And it is universal:’ for ALL the people.”

The most famous statement in the Bible is Jesus’ explanation of why God sent him to earth:

All: God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Leader: What God is saying to you at Christmas is, “I love you. It’s not just the world I love—it’s you that I love.” God’s love isn’t based on what you do. His love is based on who he is.

All: I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 838-39 NLT)

Leader: God will never abandon you. You may not feel like he’s near, but that just means you’re not tuned in. You’re not connected. You’re not plugged into the source.

All: Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. (Psalm 139:7-10 NIV)

Leader: God is not against you. He’s not out to get you or make you miserable. He’s on your side. He wants to give your life purpose and meaning.

All: God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” (John 3:17 LB) If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31 NIV)

Leader: The God who created the universe, and who set the stars in their places and the world on its axis, says, “I love you, I am with you, I am for you.” No matter who you are, where you’ve come from, or what you’ve done in your life, the Good News is for you. And that is worth celebrating!

(The Purpose of Christmas Study Guide, pages 14-15)

|HC#149 – In Christ Alone |HC-149 |HCD13 –T19 |

| Additional Optional Songs |

|HC#186 – When I look into your holiness |HC-186 |HCD17-T16 |

|HC#180 – A Starry Night |HC-180 |HCD16-T20 |

|HC#187 – Jesus, Messiah |HC-187 |HCD17-T17 |

Pastoral Prayer

|Drama: Thanks for the Memories |

Message – A Change of Celebration

|SB#153 – Thou didst leave thy throne and thy kingly crown |TB-94 – Margaret |HTD10 –T6 (4 vs.) |

|Additional Optional Songs |

|HC#120 – In the Manger |HC-120 |HCD10-T20 |

|HC#139 – There is a Message |HC-139 |HCD12-T19 |

Benediction

|SB#112 – It was on a starry night |TB-535 – same | |

|HC#180 – It was on a starry night |HC-280 |HCD16-T20 |

|Vocal Benediction Options |

|SB#116 – O come, all ye faithful |TB-496 – Adeste Fideles |HTD3 –T1 (3 vs.) |

|HC#140 – O Come, All Ye Faithful |HC-140 | |

| | |HCD12-T20 |

|Week #1 |

|DRAMA |

|Thanks for the Memories |

|By Martyn Scott Thomas |

|© 2009 by Martyn Scott Thomas. All rights reserved. Used by permission. |

|Topic: |Remembering |

|Scripture: |Numbers 15:39 |

|Synopsis: |A man tries a system to help him remember important things. |

|Characters: |Jerry – a forgetful man. |

| |Ralph – his friend. |

|Props/Costumes: |Casual dress. Two strings, a piece of paper and a cell phone for Jerry. |

|Setting: |Bare stage |

|Running Time: |3 minutes. |

[Jerry is standing center stage, looking at a string tied around the index finger on his right hand.]

Ralph: [enters] Hey, Jerry. What’s with that string on your finger?

Jerry: It’s there to help me remember something.

Ralph: What do you need to remember?

Jerry: That I have a string on this finger. [holds up his left hand]

Ralph: And what’s that one for?

Jerry: Well, the older I get, the harder it is for me to remember things, so I have this system to help me.

Ralph: So what’s your system?

Jerry: String one [holds up right hand] reminds me to look at string two. [holds up left hand]

Ralph: You already told me that. But why two strings?

Jerry: Because that’s how the system works.

Ralph: And string two reminds you of what you need to remember?

Jerry: Not at all. String two reminds me to look in my left pocket.

Ralph: And what’s in your left pocket?

Jerry: [reaches in pocket and pulls out a small piece of paper] This note.

Ralph: And the note tells you what you need to remember?

Jerry: No, the note tells me to check my voice mail. [pulls out cell phone]

Ralph: [confused] Because someone called you and you don’t remember who?

Jerry: No, because I called me to help me remember.

Ralph: Remember what?

Jerry: Let’s call and find out. [dials phone, listens then hangs up]

Ralph: Well, what did you say? What do you need to remember?

Jerry: [putting phone away] I told me to look in my right pocket.

Ralph: Couldn’t the second string have told you that?

Jerry: [explaining] Second string, left hand, left pocket.

Ralph: What about first string, right hand, right pocket. You could’ve saved three steps.

Jerry: But that’s not how the system works.

Ralph: So what does the note in your right pocket say?

Jerry: [reaches in right pocket, but finds no note] Um, let me see. [still searching pocket] I’m sure it’s in here somewhere.

Ralph: I think there’s a flaw in your system.

Jerry: [still searching] I know I wrote a note. Where did I put it?

Ralph: Why don’t you tie another string on your finger to help you remember?

Jerry: [stops searching] Don’t mock the system.

Ralph: Apparently the system doesn’t work. Can’t you just think about what it is that you need to remember?

Jerry: I know whatever it is, it’s really important. But with this breakdown in the system, I’m totally baffled.

Ralph: Maybe it’ll just come back to you.

Jerry: I don’t know. I just don’t have a clue.

Ralph: Why don’t you just call your wife and see if she remembers?

Jerry: My wife? [pausing, remembering] My wife! My wife! That’s it! I’m supposed to pick my wife up from the airport!

Ralph: [aside] And we have a winner!

Jerry: She’s flying in from Boston. I was supposed to be at the airport half an hour ago.

Ralph: You’d better hurry up. [pausing] Oh, wait!

Jerry: What is it?

Ralph: You do remember how to get to the airport, don’t you?

[Blackout]

tHE PURPOSE OF cHRISTMAS

Advent Worship Series – Week 1

November 29, 2009

A Change of Celebration

“That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village… guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them, ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news of great joy for everyone. The savior, yes, the Messiah the Lord, has been born tonight in Bethlehem the city of David. This is how you will recognize him. You will find a baby lying in a manger wrapped snuggly in strips of cloth.’

“When the angels had returned to heaven the shepherds said to each other, ‘Come, let’s go to Bethlehem. Let’s see the wonderful thing that’s happened which the Lord has told us about.’

“So they ran to the village and they found Mary and Joseph and there was the baby lying in the manger. Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks glorifying and praising God.” Luke 2:8-12, 15-16, 20

We are a people of ____________________ and yet our

faith is strengthened by ____________________.

“Then the Lord told Moses, ‘Quick! Go down the mountain! The people you brought from Egypt have defiled themselves. They have already turned from the way I commanded them to live. They have made an idol shaped like a calf and they have worshipped and sacrificed to it. They are saying, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of Egypt.”’” Exodus 32:7-8 (NLT)

“Don’t you remember the five thousand I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of food that were left over? Don’t you remember the four thousand I fed with seven loaves, with baskets of food left over?” Matthew 16:9-10 (NLT)

“The tassels will remind you of the commands of the Lord and that you are to obey the commands instead of following your own desires and going your own ways, as you are prone to do.” Numbers 15:39 (NLT)

Celebrate…

I. The Penny ________________________________

[Jesus said] “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:17 (NIV)

“Oh what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose sin is no longer counted against them by the Lord.”

Romans 4:7-8 (NLT)

“For he has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all our sins.” Colossians 1:13-14 (NLT)

II. The Nickel _______________________________

“When God lives and breathes in you (and he does as surely as he did in Jesus) you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!” Romans 8:11 (MSG)

III. The Dime _________________________________

“I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” John 5:24 (NLT)

“So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful kindness rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:21 (NLT)

IV. The Quarter _____________________________

”As he scattered the seed some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn’t put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good soil, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.” Matthew 13:4-8 (MSG)

“And you must remember to celebrate…” Exodus 34:22 (NLT)

The purpose of Christmas

Sermon Outline – Week 1

November 29, 2009

A Change of Celebration

by Doug Fields

How many of you feel like you’re ready for Christmas? Let me see your hands. Totally ready? Not as many as I anticipated.

How are you showing it? Can you relate to this phrase? “The older I get the faster time flies.” Can anybody relate to that?

When I was a child it seemed like Christmas took forever to get here. Christmas felt like the leap year thing—every four years. Even if I was really, really good it took forever. Now as an adult it feels like I just got done with last year’s Christmas activities. The reality is that I just got done paying for last year’s Christmas activities!

Today we’re beginning a new Christmas series. As you pull out your notes you’ll see we’re calling it “The Purpose of Christmas.” We’re going to talk about it all month.

We’ve either got to survive Christmas or celebrate Christmas. I want you to think of those two feelings as they relate to you this morning. When it comes to Christmas right now, are you feeling like you’ve got to survive it, or are you feeling like you are going to celebrate it? I want you to be honest with those feelings. I’ve just got to survive it, or I’m going to celebrate it.

Let’s vote. How many of you feel like, “I’m going to celebrate it”? A lot of you. How many of you say, “I’ve just got to get through it”? I’m just going to survive it. You’re not alone. There are a lot of you. Some of you are like, “That’s not the Christian thing to do!” But you’re safe here.

Those of you who said “survive,” tell me why. Give me one word descriptions. Why are you feeling like you’ve just got to survive Christmas?

[Money; the jungle out there; Christmas lights; parents; children – there we go! Let’s get them all in; flying, the airlines. I hate travel around the holidays; in-laws; fattening food; grumpy father – I’m sorry. But it’s nice that you’re sitting next to him and brought him to church.]

In all honesty, if you’d asked me, just even a couple of weeks ago, I would have chosen the word “survive” for me. Because when I think about the Christmas season for me, it’s just a lot of tension. A lot of times it feels like I’ve just got to survive that month.

There’s tension at home. Finding the decorations—every single box that you so skillfully packed away last year. Every decoration seems to have a set place to be hung, and who gets to do all of the hanging from ladders? Gentlemen, do you understand?

Then there are the lights. It takes forever to unravel them. And then you don’t find out the lights are working until they’re up. Believe me, there’s tension in my home!

There’s tension in my schedule. How many of you would say there’s just too much to do this month? Kettles, too many parties, kettles, too many kids’ things, kettles, too many invitations, and did I mention kettles?

That doesn’t even hit shopping yet. I hate Christmas shopping. I don’t mind getting gifts for people. I just hate crowds… which sounds weird. Let me rephrase that. I love you. The only good thing about the economy is that I might find a parking space this year. The crowds and the people, all that stuff – survive is the operative word.

You may be ready to celebrate it but let me just ask you this. Can you relate to any of those tensions? Yeah.

I found for me, what snapped me out of it was that I was so focused on the tensions and survival, that I wasn’t focused on Jesus.

Pastor Rick Warren has written a book entitled, The Purpose of Christmas. In it he says, “Ironically at most Christmas parties the person whose birthday you’re supposed to be celebrating is completely ignored. He’s never even mentioned. Although Jesus is the reason for the season, he’s often overlooked or merely mentioned along with Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Clause, the Grinch, the elves and a long list of celebrated fictional characters. He’s often overlooked.”

That hit me. That’s why I move into survival mode during the Christmas season. I often overlook or forget about Jesus. I would say the same would be true with you. If you feel you’re in the survival mode, chances are you’re focusing on all of the tensions and you’re overlooking Jesus. When you overlook Jesus you move to survive. When you focus on Jesus you celebrate.

Really, that’s the message of today. The purpose of Christmas is to celebrate. I realize that there are people here who don’t share that same purpose. You might not have a relationship with God. You’re checking Jesus out. We’re thrilled that you’re here. You’re investigating. You’re asking questions. You’re wondering. And my prayer for you today is that you will understand why we celebrate Christmas.

But I also know there are many followers of Jesus Christ here. If I could help you focus on Jesus this season, would you be interested? Let me take that a step deeper. If I could help you to remember to focus on Jesus—not just this season, but all the seasons—would that interest you? Jesus is not just the reason for this season, but he’s the reason for all seasons, January through December, 365 days a year. That’s what I want to go after. Not just how we celebrate him this month, but how we should always celebrate him. I think I have a way to help.

Let’s dig in. The birth narrative of Jesus is found in Luke 2. I encourage people during the Christmas season to read this over and over and over. When you do, you not only learn about what happened when Jesus was born, but you see the first people to celebrate him were not the kings nor the elite; they were the ordinary shepherds.

“That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village… guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them, ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news of great joy for everyone. The savior, yes, the Messiah the Lord, has been born tonight in Bethlehem the city of David. This is how you will recognize him. You will find a baby lying in a manger wrapped snuggly in strips of cloth.’

“When the angels had returned to heaven the shepherds said to each other, ‘Come, let’s go to Bethlehem. Let’s see the wonderful thing that’s happened which the Lord has told us about.’

“So they ran to the village and they found Mary and Joseph and there was the baby lying in the manger. Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks glorifying and praising God.” Luke 2:8-12, 15-16, 20

You see, there was something about their encounter with Jesus that triggered something within their soul which made them celebrate. It says that when they went back, they told everyone. They were glorifying and praising God. There was something there. There was this uncontrolled excitement!

I realize the text we just looked at is about the birth of Jesus, but hidden in there is really an appropriate response to Jesus. It’s about celebration!

What did they do? Just in hearing about Jesus, they ran and told everyone! They glorified and praised God.

Let me ask you a personal question. Can you remember back to the time when you first encountered Jesus? Can you remember the excitement around that time? The thrill of being a new believer and all of a sudden going, “Wait! I am saved? I’m forgiven?” And there’s this new excitement. I see it all the time as I talk with new believers. People grab a Bible and they actually start reading it. They read the stiff part in the front. You can tell they’re excited because they’re telling you and they’re not pronouncing the names of the books right. “I was reading in the Philippines… Malachi, was he an Italian prophet? And Psalmie and things like that. I read Job. There was nothing about employment, but that dude’s life stunk!” There’s all this enthusiasm. When they have kids they’re going to name them Matthew, Mark, Luke and John! They’re going to sleep in a manger. They’re going to be fed manna. They’re going to have a camel as a pet. Jesus was everything! Remember that excitement?

So here’s my million dollar question. What happened? Why did the Good News stop being good? What happened in your life that the enthusiasm of being a follower of Jesus fell away? Why isn’t Jesus worthy of being celebrated 365 days of the year?

The answer is: he is worthy. The problem isn’t with his worthiness. The problem is with our forgetfulness. If you’re anything like me—and I know you are—we forget. We just forget about the wonder and the majesty. So the Good News evolved into just news. Sometimes, for some, old news. Heard that, been there, done that.

The news of God’s word is informational. It’s no longer transformational. We have so much in life going on that we think and we worry about all this other stuff and we lose that focus and forget about Jesus.

Here’s what I want you to write down in your notes because this is the essence of what I want to go after. We are a people of forgetting and yet our faith is strengthened by remembering.

I want to remember. I want to remember all that God has done for me. God wants me to remember. As a matter of fact, the word “remember” is used hundreds of times in the Bible. We’re told to remember. If you are forgetful, you’re not alone.

As a matter of fact, there’s a long legacy of forgetful followers. In the Old Testament, book after book and chapter after chapter is filled with these God-followers who were so forgetful. One day God provides for them, meets their needs, and loves them. The next day, they’ve turned their backs on him and they worship idols. They are forgetful people.

In a classic event, Moses goes up to the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments. While he’s up there (he’s gone for some days), his followers, and not just his followers – his key leaders – all of a sudden forget about God and they start melting down their gold to make idols to worship. Exodus 32 says:

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Quick! Go down the mountain! The people you brought from Egypt have defiled themselves. They have already turned away. [circle “already turned away”—I think those describe us] from the way I commanded them to live. They’ve made an idol like a calf and they’ve worshipped and sacrificed to it. They are saying, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of Egypt.’”

This type of situation is what comedies are made of. This would be funny if it wasn’t so true and tragic.

And not just Old Testament. Fast forward to the New Testament. In the New Testament you have God in the flesh in Jesus. God, in flesh and blood walking around, surrounded by his best friends the disciples, his closest followers. And they are forgetful all the time.

One time, Jesus fed five thousand people by providing a miracle with just a couple of fish and five loaves of bread. Then a few days later they’re with another crowd and Jesus says, “Don’t let these people go hungry. Feed them.” And one of the followers says, “Where will we get the food?” Really??? You’d think they’d say, “A couple days ago you did that little thing with bread and fish. Do it again! Turn the water into wine. You’re God. You’ve proven you’re God. Do it again. That was awesome. These people are hungry, feed them. This time give them dessert, Jesus. I’ll pick up the left over Twizzlers and it’ll be awesome!”

When they said, “Where will we get the food?” Jesus says, “Don’t you remember the five thousand I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of food that were left over? Don’t you remember the four thousand I fed with seven loaves and the baskets of food left over?”

Don’t you remember? Don’t you remember? Please don’t forget. Remember that. Remember this. Don’t forget. I wish I could distance myself from the knuckleheads in the Bible. But I can’t. Because they remind me too much of myself. And unfortunately for you they remind me of you as well. We’re all right there—painfully forgetful.

I hate to stand before you and admit that. I hate to stand before you and admit that as far as I’ve walked in my journey with Jesus there are times I forget to celebrate his goodness. I forget to worship him for all that he’s done. I need to celebrate. I’m not talking about you right now, just me. I need to celebrate that because of Jesus, I’ve been saved. Because of Jesus, I don’t have to pay for my sins. Because of Jesus, I have God’s power in me today. Because of Jesus, there’s a place reserved for me in heaven. Because of Jesus, I can keep growing while I’m here and changing and I don’t have to be the same.

Is there anybody here like me that just needs to be reminded?

You know how they reminded people in the Bible? The followers of God in the Old Testament had tassels. Little tassels that they would wear on their clothing. When God’s people would get dressed, they would see these tassels, and throughout the day the tassels would be a reminder of God and his provision and how to obey God’s ways.

Even as they walked through the streets and they saw people worshipping idols or other things, they might see other followers of God with these tassels on their clothing, and those tassels were a reminder to them. Numbers 15 says, “The tassels will remind you of the commands of the Lord and that you are to obey his commands instead of following your own desires and going your own ways as you are prone to do.”

Even today you might see some orthodox Jews have these tassels on their prayer shawls. But I checked to see if I could get a bunch of tassels for you, and I couldn’t. So I came up with another way that I’m going to help you remember. I’m going to help you to remember to celebrate. It’s a very easy way. We’re going to make this all about you now.

How do you remember to celebrate? I have an idea. I need you to have a coin in your hand. I need you to reach into your pockets, into your purses, if you want to share with people in your row. I need everybody to have a coin. Raise your hand if you don’t have a coin. Maybe people next to you can hand you a coin. I want everybody touching one. If you have some you can jingle them if you want. Hang on to them. I want people with coins in their hands. I want everybody playing. I’m going to point you out if I don’t see you holding a coin.

I know some of you are thinking, “Wait a second! This is not how we normally do church.” I know. It’s kind of like reverse offering here. You take something out of the offering. Who doesn’t have a coin? Somebody around them or the ushers, get them a coin. I want everybody holding a coin.

By show of hands, how many of you are typically a plastic person all the way? You rely on plastic all the time. There are some of you. Have no fear. There are coins everywhere. There are coins on the ground, in the bottom of your car, under cushions. You can always have access to coins. You can always get coins even if you rely on plastic.

I. The Penney

We’re going to go very practical here. I’m going to start with the penny.

When you see a penny, you’re going to celebrate your past. Penny = past. Remember that. But not just your past. Here’s what I want you to write after that: “My past is forgiven.” You’re not just going to celebrate your past. You’re going to celebrate that your past has been forgiven. Because of Jesus we can celebrate the fact that he came to wipe away our past.

Please listen very carefully. There is no past that Jesus can’t forgive. Some of you need to hear that, because I keep hearing stories of guilt over the pain of the past and things like that. I say, “Have you asked for forgiveness?” and you say yes. “Then start living that way.” There’s no past that Jesus can’t forgive.

That’s why Jesus was born. That’s why we celebrate Christmas. So when you see a penny, remember: My past is forgiven.

Look at what Jesus said in Mark 2: “It’s not the healthy who need a doctor. It’s the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Why did Jesus come? To save those of us who are sinners. He was born so that we could be forgiven.

Romans 4: “Oh what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose sin is no longer counted against them by the Lord.” If you have been forgiven, your past sins are no longer counted against you.

What am I safe from? You’re safe from spending eternity with God’s enemy which would be hell. Colossians 1 says this, “For he has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son. God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all of our sins.”

If you’re here today and you have never asked for God’s forgiveness and his free gift of salvation, remember it’s free. It doesn’t even cost a penny. Although it cost Jesus his life, it’s free for you and for me. If you’ve never asked him to forgive you, consider it, because at the end of this message I want to give you the opportunity to say a simple prayer asking God to forgive you.

So when you see a penny, celebrate that your past is forgiven.

II. The Nickel

Who has a nickel? Nickel reminds us of now.

Don’t just stop with “now,” but I want you to write next to that, Now God’s Spirit is in me. That’s why you can celebrate. You can celebrate that when you said yes to God, and you invited him into your life, he filled you with his Spirit. And God’s Spirit lives in your life right now. You don’t have to go through life alone!

Personally, I believe most of the mess we get into in our lives is because we forget that God’s Spirit resides in us. People just forget that God’s Spirit is in them, so they live disobedient lives, forgetting about God’s presence, and thinking of God as a kind of distant God, as opposed to now; that his Spirit lives within me.

Romans 8 says this: “When God lives and breathes in you as he does, as surely as he did in Jesus, you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ.”

Did you get that? God’s Spirit is in you, just as surely – notice that! – just as surely as God’s Spirit was in Jesus.

John the Baptist describes the Spirit of God in Jesus. He says in John 3, “When the Spirit of God was in Jesus it was without measure and without limit. For God’s Spirit is upon him without measure or limit.” That same Spirit is in you now – think about that – and it’s without limit or measure. Now I can celebrate that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. The God of the universe personally and powerfully fills you with his Spirit. That is worthy of celebration!

So when you see a nickel remember now; God’s Spirit lives in me now.

III. The Dime

The dime. How many of you have a dime in your hands?

D = Determined destiny. But next to that I want you to write this: “I have a place in heaven.”

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you’ve been forgiven of your sins, and you have a personal relationship with him, then your destiny has been determined. There’s a place for you in heaven. That is worthy of celebration.

Why do we celebrate? We celebrate because when our lives here on earth end, life doesn’t end. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, death has no sting whatsoever. Death just kicks the door open into eternity.

Jesus said in John 5, “I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. [You believe, you belong.] They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”

I want my funeral to be a party. I really do. I’ve been to too many sad and dreary ones, so I want mine to be a celebration. I want there to be laughter. I want stories to be told. I don’t want people to grieve. I want them to celebrate. (Maybe a little bit of grieving…) But really! I want it to be a party. I’ve already picked out my favorite song that I want to be played – Celebrate! I may be dead but disco isn’t! Celebrate! Taco Bell for everyone! It is going to be a party. You won’t want to miss it.

Romans 5: “So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful kindness rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” If you are a Christ follower you’ve got to celebrate that. Celebrate!

The Dime = Determined destiny – I have a place in heaven.

The Nickel = Now God’s Spirit is within me.

The Penny = My past is forgiven.

IV. The Quarter

If you’ve got a quarter, raise your hand. Next to quarter I want you to write “Spiritual Growth.”

Some of you are thinking, “Where’s the ‘Q’ word? You’re throwing me off. How am I going to celebrate if I can’t remember the ‘Q’ word?” You’re going to remember this. Spiritual growth. Then here’s what we celebrate: I can continue to grow. I don’t have to stay the same. I can celebrate that I can continue to grow and spiritually develop.

It’s not as easy to remember, this quarter, but here’s how you’re going to remember it. Jesus told a story about a farmer, and in this story, the farmer planted seed. Of the seed that was planted, only one quarter of the seed grew. Only one quarter. Think about this. Seventy-five percent didn’t grow. Only one quarter grew. You celebrate that growth.

Matthew 13 says, “As he scattered the seed some of it fell on the road, and the birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel and it sprouted quickly but it didn’t put roots down, so the sun came up and it withered away just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds. As it came up it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good soil [circle “good soil” –that’s your heart] and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.”

What percent grew? Twenty-five percent. One quarter growth. How many can remember that? It’s a little tougher, I realize. I’m stretching you. But that is worthy to celebrate. We don’t have to be the same. I don’t have to stay the same. Because of God’s Spirit working within me, while I’m alive here on planet earth, I can grow and I can change beyond my wildest dreams.

Spiritual growth is a gift. It is a sacred privilege and it’s a reality for those of us who pursue and are faithful in obedience to God’s ways. There’s a lot to celebrate, a lot about Jesus to celebrate. Not just this month, not just one day. But 365 days of the year.

Dream with me just for a second. What would your life look like if you were to go through life with a daily attitude of celebration?

What if you had some trigger that every time you saw a penny, whether it be on the ground or next to your sink or in an ashtray in your car, you just celebrated. You said, “Thank you, God, that my past is forgiven!” Imagine what your life would look like.

What if when you saw that nickel, you’re reminded that God’s Spirit is in you now. And God’s Spirit is without measure and without limit.

What if when you saw a dime you’d think, “My destiny is determined. I’m alive right now, but I’ve got a place waiting for me in heaven because of what Jesus did on the cross.”

Imagine if every time you saw a quarter you’d think, “I can change. I can grow. Spiritual growth is a part of my reality. I don’t have to be the same.”

What do you think your life would look like? I think your life would be a lot richer. I think your faith could be a lot stronger. I think your struggles would still be there, but I think they’d be a lot lighter. I think your perspective in life would be brighter. Your attitude would be positive. Your purpose would be clearer. Your relationships would be deeper. Celebration wouldn’t be limited to a season. To a month. To a day. Every day could be like Christmas.

We’re just dreaming, but what if? What if we became people who, instead of being known for being forgetful, would be remembered for having an unforgettable faith; an unforgettable attitude of celebration. What if?

I gave you a little something to remember. As I hold coins in my hands and I make some noise, it’s Jingle Bells. It’s Emmanuel, God is with us. Let’s celebrate!

Prayer:

God, I pray for those of us here who are approaching this season in “survival mode.” Thank you God, for all you do through us and offer us through Jesus. What a gift! God, I pray that this coin illustration would be like tassels for us to remember all that you’ve done and continue to do, and to celebrate that. Drive it deep into our minds so that we can remember to celebrate you daily.

If you’re here today and you’ve never asked God to forgive your past, why don’t you ask him right now? You don’t need a special prayer to memorize. Just in the quietness of your heart you can say, “God, forgive me.” Just repeat after me in the silence of your heart:

“God, I beg you to forgive me for all I’ve done that’s created a separation between you and me. I confess to you that I’ve done some things in my life that are wrong, and I want to change. I don’t know why you’d want to forgive me, but I accept that free gift of forgiveness. In turn, I offer you my life. I invite you into my life to save me. I invite your Spirit to dwell within me and guide me. I thank you for saving me a place in eternity with you and for allowing me the privilege to grow spiritually while I’m here. I want to know you more.” We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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