The Exciting Promise (3 of 4)
Series: The Promises of Christmas
Jeff Strite
Luke 2:1-20
OPEN: (I began the sermon by bringing out a gaily wrapped golf bag, complete with clubs and irons - I tried hard to make sure it was fairly obvious what was wrapped)Then I asked:
''Does anybody know what's in the package?'' The audience seemed to enjoy the humor of the obvious.
Then I gave this opening comment:
In his book ''Dare to Believe'', Dan Baumann explained that at Christmas time he would always do a lot of snooping, trying to find the gift - wrapped presents and figure out what was in them. One year he discovered a package with his name on it that was easy to identify. There was no way to disguise the golf clubs inside.
Baumann then made this observation: ''When Mom wasn't around, I would go and feel the package, shake it, and pretend that I was on the golf course. The point is, I was already enjoying the pleasures of a future event; namely, the unveiling. It had my name on it. I knew what it was.'' He took pleasure in the ''Promise'' that lay beneath the wrapping
APPLY: There is a sense of excitement about Christmas, particularly if you have kids. The lights, the decorations, the smells, the trips to outdoor light and drama displays. BUT MOST OF ALL, there's the anticipation, the promise of the surprises in packages to be opened Christmas morning.
ILLUS: My nephew has lived us periodically as he's grown up, and we've grown very close. One family Christmas, my wife and I bought him walkie talkies and wrapped them separately. In our family we have the custom of distributing all of the gifts and then taking turns opening them one at a time. My nephew was about 10 at the time, and you could see his eyes light up as he unwrapped the first walkie talkie. It didn't seem to dawn on him that walkie talkies needed two units to work. He was just excited to have the one in his hands. Then he waited patiently as others in the family opened their gifts. It ju ...
Series: The Promises of Christmas
Jeff Strite
Luke 2:1-20
OPEN: (I began the sermon by bringing out a gaily wrapped golf bag, complete with clubs and irons - I tried hard to make sure it was fairly obvious what was wrapped)Then I asked:
''Does anybody know what's in the package?'' The audience seemed to enjoy the humor of the obvious.
Then I gave this opening comment:
In his book ''Dare to Believe'', Dan Baumann explained that at Christmas time he would always do a lot of snooping, trying to find the gift - wrapped presents and figure out what was in them. One year he discovered a package with his name on it that was easy to identify. There was no way to disguise the golf clubs inside.
Baumann then made this observation: ''When Mom wasn't around, I would go and feel the package, shake it, and pretend that I was on the golf course. The point is, I was already enjoying the pleasures of a future event; namely, the unveiling. It had my name on it. I knew what it was.'' He took pleasure in the ''Promise'' that lay beneath the wrapping
APPLY: There is a sense of excitement about Christmas, particularly if you have kids. The lights, the decorations, the smells, the trips to outdoor light and drama displays. BUT MOST OF ALL, there's the anticipation, the promise of the surprises in packages to be opened Christmas morning.
ILLUS: My nephew has lived us periodically as he's grown up, and we've grown very close. One family Christmas, my wife and I bought him walkie talkies and wrapped them separately. In our family we have the custom of distributing all of the gifts and then taking turns opening them one at a time. My nephew was about 10 at the time, and you could see his eyes light up as he unwrapped the first walkie talkie. It didn't seem to dawn on him that walkie talkies needed two units to work. He was just excited to have the one in his hands. Then he waited patiently as others in the family opened their gifts. It ju ...
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