Jesus Is Here (3 of 3)
Series: Anticipating Christmas
Bob Ingle
Galatians 4:4-5
Open your bibles with me to Galatians 4. I love the little story of the boy who decided to write a letter to God about what he wanted for Christmas. He started out by writing: ''Dear God, I've been a really good boy this year.'' But then he remembered that God was all knowing and all seeing and decided it wasn't a good idea to lie to God if he was going to receive what he wanted. So, he crumpled that letter up and started over. This time he wrote: ''Dear God, I know I haven't done everything I should have, but I really tried to be good.'' But he knew that wasn't quite true either, so he crumpled that letter up as well. It was obvious he was struggling with what to write to God. As he sat there, he saw the family Nativity scene sitting under the Christmas tree. The boy suddenly had an idea, and ran to his room. He came back with a towel and a shoebox. He walked over to the Nativity scene, carefully picked up the figurine of Mary, gently wrapped her in the towel, put her in the shoebox, and hid it in the closet. Then he went back to the table and wrote: ''Dear God, if you ever want to see you mother again...''.
Sometimes I think the world has taken Christmas hostage and they have no idea what they have.
We've been saying the last couple of weeks in our series 'Anticipating Christmas' that as followers of Jesus, we don't want to chase the feelings of Christmas that the world craves but leaves you empty and unfulfilled afterward. Rather than chase the feelings of Christmas, we want to remember the facts of Christmas, and allow those facts to deepen and strengthen our faith in the One Christmas is all about.
Emotion cannot satisfy or be sustained. Only truth can do that.
So, the last couple of weeks we've been reviewing the facts of Christmas so that our hearts and minds can be realigned with the truth of Christmas so we can celebrate it in faith. Today, I want us to bri ...
Series: Anticipating Christmas
Bob Ingle
Galatians 4:4-5
Open your bibles with me to Galatians 4. I love the little story of the boy who decided to write a letter to God about what he wanted for Christmas. He started out by writing: ''Dear God, I've been a really good boy this year.'' But then he remembered that God was all knowing and all seeing and decided it wasn't a good idea to lie to God if he was going to receive what he wanted. So, he crumpled that letter up and started over. This time he wrote: ''Dear God, I know I haven't done everything I should have, but I really tried to be good.'' But he knew that wasn't quite true either, so he crumpled that letter up as well. It was obvious he was struggling with what to write to God. As he sat there, he saw the family Nativity scene sitting under the Christmas tree. The boy suddenly had an idea, and ran to his room. He came back with a towel and a shoebox. He walked over to the Nativity scene, carefully picked up the figurine of Mary, gently wrapped her in the towel, put her in the shoebox, and hid it in the closet. Then he went back to the table and wrote: ''Dear God, if you ever want to see you mother again...''.
Sometimes I think the world has taken Christmas hostage and they have no idea what they have.
We've been saying the last couple of weeks in our series 'Anticipating Christmas' that as followers of Jesus, we don't want to chase the feelings of Christmas that the world craves but leaves you empty and unfulfilled afterward. Rather than chase the feelings of Christmas, we want to remember the facts of Christmas, and allow those facts to deepen and strengthen our faith in the One Christmas is all about.
Emotion cannot satisfy or be sustained. Only truth can do that.
So, the last couple of weeks we've been reviewing the facts of Christmas so that our hearts and minds can be realigned with the truth of Christmas so we can celebrate it in faith. Today, I want us to bri ...
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