Pulpit Talk - Christmas Sermon Series

[Pulpit Talk will contain thoughts and comments about my sermons and sermon series.]

My sermon series this Christmas is about the salvation God offers through Jesus Christ.

I must confess I was a bit skeptical how it would be received, since it isn’t your typical Joseph, Mary, and baby in a manger Christmas series. Let’s face it, some people – correct that – most people expect to hear a traditional Christmas message around Christmas time, after all it is one of the greatest stories of all time. God the Creator steps into His own creation. As Michael Card wrote in his song To The Mystery, “No fiction as fantastic and wild -- a mother made by her own child!” The Christmas story is truly remarkable and people like to hear it told.

Even I, in doing some pre-sermon planning for the series, had a difficult time getting into the Christmas spirit, because instead of studying the habits of shepherds and the plight of the Magi, I was in places like 2 Timothy, Ephesians and Hebrews. I had my own Christmas expectations and wishes.

We like to hear about the events that took place in the small town of Bethlehem – and we should hear them during this time, but my fear is that by focusing only the characters and events that make up the pieces of the Nativity we endanger ourselves of losing sight of the movement behind the manger scene – God wonderfully composing and orchestrating a plan that would turn the hearts of men back to Him.

So this Christmas I have dared to abandon (though not completely) the traditional Christmas story to talk about salvation – God’s offer, our response, and the assurance we have in Christ.

Preach the Word,
Phil