SAVING CHRISTMAS

THE GOSPEL WRITER MATTHEW TELLS US THAT JESUS CAME TO “SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.” ANOTHER GOSPEL WRITER, LUKE RECORDS THE ANGELS SAYING TO THE SHEPHERDS, “FOR TODAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID THERE HAS BEEN BORN FOR YOU A SAVIOR, WHO IS CHRIST THE LORD.” LUKE ALSO RECORDED IN ACTS, “…THERE IS SALVATION IN NO ONE ELSE.” NEARLY EVERY WRITING OF THE NEW TESTAMENT TALKS ABOUT JESUS’ SAVING GRACE. IT’S WHY HE CAME AT CHRISTMAS, TO SAVE US. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? HOW DOES CHRISTMAS SAVE? JOIN US FOR A CHRISTMAS SERIES THAT WILL CHANGE YOU, ENCOURAGE YOU, EMPOWER YOU AND SAVE YOU.

SERMON NOTES

DECEMBER 2 - SAVED FROM

JUST TO BE CLEAR, CHRISTMAS DOESN’T NEED SAVING. WE DO! BUT WHY? WHAT DO WE NEED RESCUED FROM? THE TRUTH IS, YOU CAN FEEL IT…THE REASON IS WITHIN YOU. YOU KNOW THERE IS SOMETHING INSIDE YOU THAT PUSHES YOU TO DO THINGS YOU DON’T WANT TO DO. YOU KNOW YOU HAVE GUILT FROM THE TIMES YOU’VE FAILED TO LIVE UP TO THE STANDARDS YOU’VE SET FOR YOURSELF. BASICALLY, YOU KNOW SOMETIMES YOU’RE SELFISH. THE BIBLE CLASS ALL OF THIS “SIN.” JESUS CAME SO YOU CAN BE SAVED FROM GUILT, SELFISHNESS AND SHAME. TO PREPARE, READ MATTHEW 1:21 AND ROMANS 5:1-12.

DECEMBER 9 - SAVED BY

WHY JESUS? WHO WAS HE…OR, WHO IS HE ANYWAY? WHAT MAKES JESUS SO SPECIAL THAT HE COULD ACTUALLY SAVE THE WORLD…THAT HE COULD ACTUALLY SAVE ME? LONG BEFORE HE CAME TO THE WORLD THERE WERE MEN WHO DECLARED THE REALITY OF HIS CHARACTER AND NATURE. GOD HAD A PLAN TO SAVE HUMANITY AND THAT PLAN WAS (AND IS) TO BE SAVED BY JESUS. TO PREPARE, READ LUKE 2:8-11 AND ACTS 4:8-12.

DECEMBER 16 - SAVED FOR

WHY WOULD GOD GO TO SO MUCH TROUBLE TO SAVE A BUNCH OF REBELS? WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ENTIRE LIFE OF JESUS, IT PUTS A WHOLE NEW PERSPECTIVE ON THE EXTENT TO WHICH GOD WENT TO PROVIDE US WITH A SAVING CHRISTMAS. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU’VE EXPERIENCED THE SALVATION CHRISTMAS OFFERS? IF YOU EXAMINE IT CAREFULLY, YOU’LL FIND GOD GAVE A SAVING CHRISTMAS MORE FOR HIMSELF THAN HE DID FOR US. WE DISCOVER HE CREATED US TO WORSHIP HIM, SERVE HIM AND LIVE OUR LIVES FOR HIS GLORY. TO PREPARE, READ EPHESIANS 1:1-14.

DECEMBER 23 - SAVED ALWAYS

THIS ISN’T ALL THERE IS, THERE IS MORE. SOMETIMES WE LIVE AS IF WHAT WE EXPERIENCE ON THIS EARTH, THIS TIME AND SPACE IS THE EXTENT OF OUR EXISTENCE. GOD SAYS, “I’VE GOT A LOT MORE FOR YOU.” WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE A SAVING CHRISTMAS, YOU BECOME PART OF AN ETERNAL KINGDOM THAT NEVER DIES. JESUS PROMISED YOU WILL LIVE ALWAYS, IN HEAVEN WHERE THERE IS NO SIN, NO PAIN, NO ANGUISH, NO FEAR AND NO SHAME. TO PREPARE, READ JOHN 3:1-21.

DECEMBER 24 - SAVED NOW

CHRISTMAS EVE, A NIGHT OF CAROLS, CANDLES AND HOPE. WE PAUSE AND REFLECT ON THINGS LIKE, PEACE ON EARTH, FAMILY, GIFTS AND HOPE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW. BUT, THE GREATEST THING IS THAT GOD CAME TO SAVE US. OF ALL YOU WILL CELEBRATE ON THIS DAY, GET EXCITED ABOUT HIS SALVATION. CHOOSE HIS SAVING CHRISTMAS FOR YOURSELF, RIGHT NOW, TODAY. TO PREPARE, READ 2 CORINTHIANS 6:1-2.

DECEMBER 30 - SAVED BECAUSE

THE STORY OF THE MAGI (OR WISE MEN) IS A STORY OF THE VALUE OF EVERY HUMAN BEING. THEIR INTERACTION WITH KING HEROD LED TO HORROR AND THE UNIMAGINABLE MURDER OF CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE KINGDOM. BUT IT’S ALSO A STORY OF THE OVERALL CONDITION OF THE WORLD. THE MAGI SHOW US GOD CAME TO THE WORLD FOR EVERYONE: EVERY RACE, EVERY NATION, EVERY ECONOMIC GROUP, EVERY PERSON. CHRISTMAS HAPPENED BECAUSE THE WORLD IS DESPERATELY LOST IN TERROR AND DARKNESS. TO PREPARE, READ MATTHEW 2.