The Sound of Christmas
A Costly Christmas
December 24, 2022 • Matthew 2:1–12
We often give gifts to each other and to those in need at Christmas to celebrate the great gift God gave to us in Christ. With as many people on our lists, it can get costly. Maybe we should pause and consider the cost of Christmas. As the prices of everything seem to be skyrocketing, the cost of Christmas has already been paid. That is reason to worship. Open up your hearts and and honor God!
A Confused Christmas
December 18, 2022 • Matthew 1:18–25, Isaiah 7:14
Do you remember how you understood Christmas as a kid? It might have been confusing with all the different sights, sounds, & traditions. Society may be confused, but our families do not need to be! Through intentional teaching of the Biblical passages, explanation of traditions, and careful study of the lyrics of the Christmas songs we sing, we can give the Christmas story the opportunity to bring clarity to our lives. TALK ABOUT IT - Questions to GROW through with family, friends, & myself. 1. What confused me about Christmas? What still confuses me? 2. Why is it important to understand why the birth narratives of Jesus matter so much? 3. What does Jesus mean? What does “Emmanuel” mean? How does each help us understand Christmas? 4. Why/how does the story of Christmas help bring clarity to the way i understand my life? 5. PRAYER: “Father, help me me to PAUSE & reflect on WHY Christmas matters so much!”
A Commercial Christmas
December 11, 2022 • Luke 2:8–20
What do you want for Christmas? It is a question we get used to hearing and asking if we want Christmas to “check off all the boxes.” But if our Christmas is limited to “checking off all the boxes,” we may be missing out on the greatest gift of Christmas of all. Giving and receiving gifts is a wonderful tradition rooted in the Truth of the Gospel. But to get past all the wrapping paper, we must ask a better question, “What gift does God want for Christmas?” TALK ABOUT IT - Questions to GROW through with family, friends, & myself. 1.What was the best Christmas present I ever received / gave? Why / why not? 2.What gift does God want us to “hear” this Christmas? Why must we “hear” this gift to receive it? 3.What spiritual circumstances contribute to my joy? Why do these circumstances NOT change? 4.Do I currently have a “Top Ten” list? DO i regularly pray for, share my life & church with others? Why / why not? 5.PRAYER: “Father, help me to receive the gift you desire to give this Christmas and to share Him with others!”
A Complicated Christmas
December 4, 2022 • Luke 2:1–7
Let's face it, Christmas can be…complicated. Marjorie Holmes famously stated, “At Christmas, all roads lead home.” But do we want to go home? “Home" is complicated. The “idea” of going home for Christmas can amplify our feelings of disconnectedness, family conflict, & emotional isolation. And yet, each of us have a deep desire to belong, to be loved, and for our hearts to be settled at home. Maybe this Christmas, our definition of “home” needs to change. We need a definition that transcends the complications. We need Christmas to be…SIMPLE. TALK ABOUT IT - Questions to GROW through with family, friends, & myself. 1.Where/what is home for me? Where I am from? Where do I have family? 2.What makes Christmas complicated for me? What are the tensions I wrestle with at this time of year? 3.Is the church a home where people feel loved, welcomed, and known? Why or why not? 4.How does changing the definition of home to where Christ dwells a more transcendent definition of home? 5.PRAYER: “Father, help me experience the simplicity of being with you this Christmas season and help me help others experiences that, too.”