"Preaching Christ at Christmas"

1. Putting the Christ back into “Xmas”

2. Separating fact from tradition

3. Utilising the Biblical materials on Christmas

4. Connecting the crib to the cross

Four challenges in preaching Christ at Christmas

Responding to the challenge of preaching Christ at Christmas

1. A fresh look at the birth narratives in the gospels

2. Some less familiar passages from the Gospels

3. Old Testament “Christmas” passages

4. Other New Testament references to Christmas

5. Some examples of topical Christmas talks

And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room in the inn. (Luke 2:7) (katalyma)

He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. (Luke 10:34) (padocheion)

No room – no “inn”(Luke 2:1-7)

He replied, "As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there." (Luke 22:10-12) (katalyma)

and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:7 – TEV )

To turn away a descendant of David in the “City of David” would be an unspeakable shame on the entire village. (Kenneth E. Bailey)

No room – no “inn”(Luke 2:1-7)

No room – no “inn”(Luke 2:1-7)

From “Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes” by Kenneth E Bailey

The message of the birth of Jesus

• he is born in a humble home• identifying with the ordinary people• a sign of his condescension

“Good news of great joy for all the people”

No room – no “inn”(Luke 2:1-7)

The Shocking Story of the Shepherds

(Luke 2:8-20)

1. An unexpected surpriseAn angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:9-10)

2. An unusual sign“This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." (Luke 2:12

3. An unbelievable storyWhen they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2: 17-18)

“Good news for bad people” (Luke 2:8-20)

The Christmas message Luke 2: 10

• good news • great joy• for all people

The baby born in BethlehemLuke 2: 11

• Saviour• Christ• Lord

What to do at Christmas:1. Go and see 2. Go and tell

Responding to the claim of fiction:

1. Visit of Magi to Rome in the first century

2. Seemingly counter-productive?

“A church which soon found itself in conflict with astrology is notlikely to invent a story which appears to favour it.” (Leon Morris)

“We three kings of orient aren’t!”Matthew 2

Speculative questions about the Magi

1. Where did they come from?

2. What was the star they saw?

3. In which year did the event occur?

“We three kings of orient aren’t!”Matthew 2

A disturbing question“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?”

Contrasting responses to the question

1. Herod – hostility

2. The Magi – humility

3. The religious leaders – apathy

“We three kings of orient aren’t!”Matthew 2

Three themes about God

1. Eternal“In the beginning”

2. Temporal“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us”

3. Personal “yet to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”

Your response• reception?• rejection?

“From eternity to here!”(John 1:1-18)

Zechariah (verses 5-25) Mary (verses 26-38)An elderly priest A young womanIn the temple In her homeAnswered prayer Unexpected“How can I be sure of this? “How will this be?”Struck dumb Filled with praise

Yet in both cases God’s promises were fulfilled

What is my response to the good news of the birth of Christ?

Contrasting responses to good news (Luke 1:5-38)

The surprising ancestry of Jesus(Matthew 1:1-18)

Four unexpected women among the ancestors of Jesus

• Tamar (verse 3; Genesis 38)• Rahab (verse 5; Joshua 2)• Ruth (verse 5; Ruth 4)• “Uriah’s wife” (verse 6; 2 Samuel 11-12)

The Genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-17)

The gospel is good news• for men and women• for Jew and Gentile• for saint and sinner

And for people like us!

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male not female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. (Hebrews 2: 11)

The Genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-17)

Joseph• a good man• an angry man• a courageous man

It behooves us to see Joseph as a hero of the story without whose courage and understanding of the prophets there would have been no Christmas story to tell. (Kenneth E. Bailey)

The forgotten man of Christmas(Matthew 1:18-25)

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."(Genesis 3:15)

Come, Desire of nations, come,fix in us thy humble home;

rise, the woman's conquering seed,bruise in us the serpent's head;now display thy saving power,

ruined nature now restore,now in mystic union join

thine to ours and ours to thine.Hark, the herald-angels singglory to the new-born King.

(Charles Wesley)

The promise of Christmas

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.(Isaiah 7:14)

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."(Matthew 1:22-23)

A Christmas sign

Before Christmas• the darkness of confusion• the darkness of death• the darkness of despair

After Christmas• the light of revelation• the light of life• the light of joy

Are you still in the dark about Christmas?

“Light in our darkness”(Isaiah 9:1-7)

The Christmas giftGod so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16)

The Christmas exchangeFor you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)

The Son of God became the Son of Man so that sons of men might become sons of God

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son

A Christmas gift with two parts

1. “God sent his Son” – so that we might be redeemed from slavery

2. “God sent the Spirit of his Son” – so that we might be adopted into his family

From slaves to sons!

The perfectly planned ChristmasGalatians 4:4-7

Some examples of topical Christmas talks

“Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas…without Christ”

“Do you know it’s Christmas?”

A Christmas truce

What to do on Christmas Day

After Christmas