Is believing all there is to it?

 

                                                                                                                            Epiphany Sunday!

                                                                          Matt. 2: 1-16

Introduction:

A.        Today is Epiphany Sunday!

            1.         An epiphany is an ah-hah moment!  It is a moment when the light bulb

comes on and we come to a realization.

                        2.         The wisemen had an epiphany.  It was that this baby was a king, so they

took him gifts fit for a king!

 

B.        As we read in Matt. 2 we see that Herod believed that Jesus was the Messiah or

king.    I guess we could say Herod had an epiphany too!

 

C.        From all indications, he was so sure that in verse 16 he had all the male children

under 2 yrs. old in Bethlehem killed!

 

D.        He believed, but he reacted the wrong way on this belief.  Look what he tried to

do!  Was this pleasing to God?

 

Trans:

What should our belief bring us to?  That's what I want to look at this morning!

 

                                                                         Prayer

I.          First, we do have to believe!

A.        Before we can be right with God, we have to believe that God came in Jesus to do

for us what we can=t do for ourselves, forgive our sins and give us a new start!

 

B.        Before we can ever hope to make a difference for God, we have to believe that he

can make a difference today!

 

C.        But then what?

 

II.        Then, this belief must bring us to the right action!

A.        Just to believe in general that God came in Christ does nothing for us until we make

it personal and believe and receive that God did it for me in particular, asking God

to forgive us of our sins.  It must become something personal. We must act on

what God has done for us!

 

B.        Just to believe that Jesus can make a difference today is not enough!

1.         If we don't yield our lives to Christ for service.

read  Jas. 2:17 - 20

2.         God has chosen to use people to get the Kingdom work done in the world

today!  Without us, it will not get done.

                        3.         Methodists come from a tradition that believes very much in doing

something with our faith.  That is why John Wesley started the small

groups in the Church of England.

 

C.        Do you believe?  What are you doing with that belief?

 

III.       Some are reacting like Herod!

A.        They believe in God and may even believe in Jesus, but they are taking the wrong

actions upon those beliefs.

 

B.        Few people when you point blank ask them will tell you they don=t believe in God,

but they haven't accepted that God came in Christ for them, and they feel guilty.

 

C.        Because of this guilt, they lash out at Christianity!

1.         They try to bring Christians down to make themselves look better.

2.         They try to make the church look bad.

a.         If they hear any bad news, they are sure to tell it.

b.         If they can tell a joke that makes the church look stupid, they will.

                        3.         God isn=t for them a personal thing; God is a by-word and isn=t something

                                    to be taken very seriously.

 

IV.       But others believe and are going about doing the Lord's business.

            A.        They are claiming the promises that they can make a difference. They are lovingly

                        trying to do that!

B.        They are working and serving, and they are seeing fruits for their labor.

C.        They feel a purpose and are happy with their Christian lives.

 

V.        Churches that are growing are blessed with some of these believers.

A.        They believe God can make a difference, and they are excitedly working for the

Lord!  They are being used of God to share God’s love!

 

B.        They aren't defeated with the belief that "nothing will work today."

 

C.        Instead, they "know" something will work, and they are busy trying to find ways to

minister to the needs of people today that do work!!

 

Conclusion:

The Epiphany this morning it that God came in Christ.  That is the ah-hah moment: this

Baby is God in the flesh.  The first question that we have to deal with then is, ADo we

Believe that?@ The 2^nd is, AWhat are we going to do because of that belief?@

 

A.        Do you believe this morning?

 

B.        What are you doing because of that belief?

 

C.        Is God pleased with it?

 

 

D.        As we encounter Christ at the table this morning, we can ask God to help us with

our unbelief and to help us act appropriately on that belief!

 

E.         After you receive communion and since we are starting a new year, you will be

given the opportunity to have your hands anointed, thereby saying “God, use these hands in accordance with your will this year!”

 

                                            Prayer of Confession & Blessing of the Oil

 

Service of Communion and Anointing of Hands

After Christmas, Then What?

 Intro:

     A.   How many have ever looked in a mirror?  Everybody?

 

     B.   There are two possible results that take place when we           look in a mirror!

          1.   Either we will stop, look, and make the necessary                changes!

          2.   Or we will glance and go on not making any

              changes!

 

     C.   James noticed this and wrote something about his

          observations in our scripture for this morning!

 

     D.   I have entitled the message, “After Christmas, Then What?

Well we really aren’t after Christmas since we are still

in the 12 days of Christmas, but let’s reflect this morning

on, “What are we going to do with Christmas? After

Christmas, then what?

 

                            Prayer

                         James 1:22-25

 

I.   How does this tie in with Christmas?

     A.   James was saying, when people look into the Word, one

          of two possible results will take place!

          1.   Some will look into the Word and let it sink into                their hearts and make the necessary changes!

          2.   Others will glance into the Word and walk away not               letting it change their lives!

     B.   The world as a whole glances into the Word at least

          once a year, and that is at Christmas time!

          1.   Let's look at what we see as we glance into the

              Word at Christmas time!

          2.   Let's ask ourselves if we are going to let God

              make the needed changes or are we going to walk

              away, forgetting what we have seen?

 

II.  What do we see as we glance into the Word at Christmas time?

     A.   We see a love for other people.

          1.   We see more acts of charity at Christmas time more               than any other time of the year!

          2.   The Salvation Army has their bell ringers out at

              the shopping places.

          3.   Churches help the less fortunate.

          4.   Individuals help other people.

          5.   Different agencies help needy families during

Christmas each year!

          6.   All because people are compelled by Love as they

              realize that some people won't have much for

              Christmas, the Love we see in the Word!

 

     B.   We see generosity!

          Even though Christmas is already a rather expensive

          time of the year, we see people digging a little deeper

          to help someone in need!

 

     C.   We see people making sacrifices!  Not only of their

          money but also of their time and talents to help

          others.

          1.   Volunteering at help organizations.

          2.   Caroling.

          3.   Wishes of good cheer.

          4.   Gathering toys for kids who might not have much

Christmas.

 

     D.   We see all these things because as we glance into the

          mirror of God's Word we see a God that did all these

          things for us, and we realize our need to do it for

          others.

 

     E.   As we glance into the Word at Christmas, we see a God

          who cared enough for us to leave the splendor of Heaven

          to be born a human.

          1.   In a stable    (Not a fancy Inn, not even a cheap                              Inn.)  Sacrifice!

          2.   To be raised a carpenter's son.

              a.   not a King's son.

              b.   not the son of a priest.

              c.   but a peasant.

          3.   To show us how to live!  As we look at Christ's

              life, we learn how to care and love people.

          4.   And to later die and make a way for us to be put

              back in relationship with God!

              a.   so we don't have to die spiritually and be

                   eternally separated from God.

              b.   but we can be justified: made just-as-if we

                   haven't sinned in God's eyes!

              c.   because of God's grace!

 

III. What is going to be the result of our looking into the Word

     this Christmas?

     A.   As we look at what God has done in the life of Christ

          are we going to let it make us into a more loving,

          caring, and generous person all year long? 

 

          Or are we going to walk away from this Christmas

          unchanged, not really caring for other people until we           glance into the Word again next Christmas?

 

     B.   As we look at what God did for us through Jesus and

          the new life God offers us because of Jesus, are we

          going to walk away from this Christmas and not let God

          make the changes that need to be made?

 

Conclusion:

     A.   After Christmas, Then What?

 

     B.   Reread James 1:22-25.

 

     C.   What will we do this Christmas?  Will we walk away

          unchanged?

 

     D.   As we encounter Christ at the table this morning, we can

give Christ our hearts and our lives!  We can commit to

Christ!  We can yield those areas of our lives where we

haven’t let Christ live and love through us!

 

     E.   As we look into the mirror this Christmas, let’s not walk

away unchanged!

 

                      Prayer of Confession

Celebration of Communion

 

 

Celebrating Christmas!

 Christmas Eve!

Prayer

Luke 2:1-20

 

I.  I want to reminisce a little about Christmases past.

 

    A.  I can remember waiting with anticipation for Christmas as a child.

         1.  December was one of the longest months.

         2.  Our neighbors would have a birthday party for Jesus.

         3.  We let it be known what we wanted for Christmas.

         4.  We waited. . . .

         5.   We decorated with a Silver Christmas tree and a color wheel.  I think the silver

               represented ice on an ever green tree!

 

    B.  Here are some of the traditions around Christmas that I grew up with.

         1.  I’m sure my parents told us about the true meaning of Christmas.  They were Christians.

         2.  My grandmother wrote us letters and notes about it.  Usually in or on whatever she got

              us for Christmas, there was a message about it being Jesus’ birthday!

         3.  We had the Birthday Party for Jesus next door.

         4.  The Church taught us about the meaning of Christmas.

         5.  At school plays, we sang Christian Christmas songs, maybe even had a manger scene.

         6.  For our family Christmas, we got up and opened gifts.

         7.  Dad always Ho! Ho! Ho! a little bit.  Which I didn’t understand, but I later have come to

              understand it was a subtle hint!

         8.  We watched Christmas shows like Rudolph the Red nosed reindeer, Frosty the

              Snowman, and It’s a Wonderful Life.

         9.  Mom fixed a Christmas meal that usually included ham and a lot of pies.

        10.  It was a special time and holds many special memories.

        11.  But as I think about it today, I think it is even more important to incorporate some  

                traditions into our home Christmas that show the real meaning of Christmas.  Why?

                Let’s look at that.

 

II.  What about Celebrating Christmas today? 

 

      A.  It is a different time.

            1.   Our country is becoming more and more pluralistic.

2.   Our kids and grandkids get more and more different messages about Christmas than 

                  in times past.

            3.   We can’t count on our kids or grandkids hearing the true meaning of Christmas at

                  school or on the T.V.

            4.   We need to do something to make sure our children and grandchildren really know

                   what Christmas is about.  We can’t just rely on the church to do that.  If we don’t

                   endorse what the church says, our children may question which of the opposing

                   stories they are hearing about Christmas is true.

 

     B.    I challenge you to incorporate some traditions into your family Christmas to do that, if

             you haven’t already.  Suggestions:

            1.   Read the Christmas Story in Luke 2 and the part about the Magi in Matt. 2 and use a

                  small nativity to move the characters as you read it.  Or Let them dress up and be the

                  characters and move around as you read it.  (You could dress them in robes and a

                   towel on their heads)

           2.    Have a birthday party for Jesus.

           3.    Talk about the meaning of the Christmas decorations.

                  a.  Evergreen reminds us that Jesus brings everlasting life.

                  b.  Lights remind us Jesus is the light of the world.

                  c.  Stars remind us of the star that led the Wisemen.

                  d.  Angels remind us of the angels that proclaimed Jesus’ birth to the shepherds.

                  e.   Candy canes remind us of the shepherd’s staffs.

                  f.   My kids left cookies and milk for Santa and a note; Santa always wrote back and

                        said something about the true meaning of Christmas and why he gave gifts!

                  g.   Any ideas you have??

 

III.   Christmas starts tonight!

 

         A.   You have 12 days until Epiphany to celebrate!  That is the Christmas season.

 

         B.    You don’t have to do it all tonight or in the morning.

 

         C.     Things tend to settle down after Christmas day;  that gives you an opportunity to

                  plan something through this time when things are not so busy to reinforce what

                  Christmas is about.. 

                  1.  We still have the 12 days of Christmas.  The secular Christmas has not encroached 

                        on that because they can’t sell anything during that time!

                  2.   Leave the tree up.

                  3.  Take the opportunity to continue the Celebration of Christmas with your children

                        or grandchildren, and talk about why we’ve done what we’ve done.

 

        D.    I invite you to kick off the celebration of Christmas with me, as we hear a selection of

                Christmas music, by coming up and bringing your Christmas offering, and pick up a

                 candle.

                   1.    After you have returned to your seats, we will sing “Silent Night” as we pass a

                          flame that represents Jesus being the light of the world through the congregation!

                   2.    What began as that small baby that we are celebrating tonight has spread

                           throughout the world.  Thanks be to God!

 

Candlelight service