To me Christmas is .....

To me, Christmas is...

I. A TIME OF REMEMBERING
-remembering the great love that God had for
each and every one of us. He loved us so
much, that He spared not His only Son that
we might be saved.
-remembering the uniqueness of
His life
His teachings
His miracles
His prophesies
His death
His resurrection
-remembering all those humble but great people
surrounding the Christmas story
people like Joseph & Mary, Zacharias & Eliz-
abeth, Anna, Simeon, the sheperds, the wise
men, etc.

II. Secondly, to me, Christmas is...
A TIME OF LOVING

People make a special effort to be a little
kinder, a little more considerate of others,
and a little more generous during the Christ-
mas season. They get involved in such things
as Christmas carolling, toys for the needy,
meals for the misfortunate, etc.
It is a time for reaching out to others with
love and concern.

God so loved the world-let us never forget
that!!! In all of our preaching, teaching,
evangelizing, etc. let us always remember
that the motivation for all this is the love
of God for lost sinners. He really cares
about us. So should we care as He cares.
So should we love, as He loves.

III. A TIME OF GIVING

For God so loved the world, that He gave...

Love cannot look with indifference on the
hungry, and the sick, and the lonely, lost
souls of this world. Love must give.

God gave all He could give. He gave His
only begotten Son. This gift was freely
given, lovingly given, graciously given to
all of us, who were undeserving sinners.

Christ shared our human nature that we might
receive His divine nature. Day by day, those
who receive Him are being transformed into
His image, until we all come into the full
stature of the perfected children of God,
washed in the blood of the Lamb.

IV. A TIME OF FORGIVING

God was willing to forgive us. He was willing
to show mercy to a sinful, lost, and dying
world. Do we possess His forgiving spirit?
Or, is our spirit a judgmental one, that
looks down upon others?
Is there someone we need to forgive today?

V. A TIME OF RESCUING

God rescued us by His love and mercy. He
saved us from perishing.

Without Christ we are without life, and
headed for an eternity without God-forever
seperated from the God who made us and longs
to save us.

He wants us to inherit eternal life. We
are all descendents of a dying race. But
for the grace of God, we would all likewise
perish.

VI. A TIME OF CHANGING

The Christ of Christmas changes us. He makes
us new creatures. All things become new for
us. We have new goals, new ideas, new direc-
tion, new hope.

Christ changes people for the better.

VII. A TIME OF REJOICING

-rejoicing in God’s unmerited grace
-rejoicing in the release of forgiveness
-rejoicing in a new life with a new mission