Advent Sermon Series (What Do You Want For Christmas?) – A Manger’s Love (Part IV)

Sermon Title: What Do You Want For Christmas –The Love of Christmas Saves Us

Good News Statement: God gave us the best gift of Christmas, His Son—our love.

Summary: Let the love of Christ changes and saves us we embrace something that can never be taken from us.

Preached: Sunday, December 21^st, 2025 at Dogwood Prairie & Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSV): Luke 2:1-7 – Today’s Scripture reading comes from the New Testament. In today’s reading, we find ourselves caught in the census but set free at the manger because there was no room in the Inn. May the hearing, reading, and understanding of the word add a blessing to your life.

 

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ All went to their own towns to be registered. ⁴ Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. ⁵ He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room.

 

This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”

 

James W. Moore, What Do You Want For Christmas: An Advent Study for Adults, Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2008.

 

 

Introduction:

In 2016, Forbes Magazine senior contributor Kathy Caprino, published an article striving to find an answer to the following question: “If you could say in one word what you want more of in life, what would that be?” As of 2016, 771 people responded to Caprino’s survey. Upon analyzing the results of her survey, Caprino shared, “What’s so intriguing about these responses is that it’s becoming more obvious with each passing year that the things we humans desperately long for today are not only universal and timeless, but also have become even more elusive and challenging to access and sustain, even as we “evolve” and develop in this tech-frenzied, time-crushing world.”[1]

Of all the things people indicated they want more of in life, the following were the eight mentioned most frequently, according to Caprino’s survey: happiness,[2] money,[3] freedom,[4] peace,[5] joy,[6] balance,[7] fulfillment,[8] and confidence.[9]  Doing a simple Google search on “What people want in their life” you will see that there are many lists that claim to provide what people want most in their life. Most of those links are valuable. However, most of those links are composed by people fulfilling out survey upon survey: they don’t necessarily describe what you want most in life. Happiness, money, freedom, peace, joy, balance, fulfillment, and confidence, are all great things, but are they what you really want in life?

During the Advent Season, our “wants” increase. We make lists. People ask us all the time what we want. Amazon and Wal-Mart both know our address by heart. As humans, our need to want more consumes us this holiday season. However, is what you want something that you need? When was the last time, especially during Christmas, you sat down and made a list not from your mind but from your heart? The birth of Christ, in Bethlehem, in a manger because there was no room in the Inn with two scared and uncertain parents, is what we need in our life. What is your heart seeking this Christmas Season?

To help us answer this question, for the next four weeks we will be using the words of James W. Moore (1938-2019), an author and preacher and pastor ordained in The United Methodist Church. In 2008, he published a book titled What Do You Want For Christmas: An Advent Study for Adults.

 

Body:

It happens every year. You count on it. It always repeats itself. Again and again and again in the days leading up to Christmas, we will hear people ask the big question “What do you want for Christmas this year?” Parents will ask their children; Husbands and wives and spouses will ask each other; girlfriends and boyfriends will ask each other; neighbors will visit each other and before they leave the will ask each other this time honored question. After the question is asked, those asking are hoping to hear these words: “All I want for Christmas is______________ (You fill in the blank).

“What do you want for Christmas?” It’s an age old question, a Christmas classic if you will. Each week to help us ponder this question, we will look at a passage or passages from scripture focused on the birth of Jesus Christ, relate the scripture chosen to our own life, and then I will offer you what is on my Christmas list this year. To begin, my hope is that this year for Christmas you answer that age old question by saying, “All I want for Christmas is to be filled with love.” On Christmas love will come down from heaven, love will be found in a manger, love will be swaddled in bands of cloth. This love is for you, but what does this love do for you in your life?

 

Movement One: Examination of Scripture…

Three weeks ago, we took time to consider what it means to place hope on our Christmas list. Hope is more than wishful thinking. Hope is more than dreaming. And hope is more than a single word. Hope is a prayer. Hope is what is needed to change our life. Hope begins our Advent Season because we expect to be filled with the hope of God as we anticipate witnessing the salvation of Christ lying in a manger in the small town of Bethlehem surrounded by all people from all walks of life. Hope is what inspires us to echo the words of the Prophet Isaiah and Mary, the mother of Jesus, at a time when hope was lost: “Here am I.” Hope is what allows us to find ourselves at the manger scene and then at the cross and then leaving the empty tomb. Hope is realizing that you need God in your life. Hope is what allows you to hear God, to obey God, and to trust in God. Have you put hope on your Christmas list yet?

Two weeks ago, we returned to the words of James Moore, author of the book that I am using for this Advent Sermon Series, who used the Gospel of Matthew to show us that even in our impatience, the peace of Christ is with us. It’s through peace that we are set free from the things that keep us from getting to the manger scene. If we don’t allow ourselves to experience peace, then we will be asking the same question that the disciples of John the Baptist asked Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew because we have lost sight of who Jesus is: they asked, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” (Matthew 11:3). The peace of Christmas is what helps us pause, breathe, sit, and enjoy the Christmas season for what it ought to be and not what we want it to be. We need peace in our life. We need the Prince of Peace to go with us. We need the peace of Christ to not only be given to us but to live within us. We need the peace that passes all understanding to grant us enough wisdom to realize that we need to slow down. The peace that is promised to all the earth, by the angels, is the very peace that changes our life. Have you put peace on your Christmas list?

Last week, we turned our attention to the third Candle of Advent: the pink Candle of Joy. The other purple candles symbolize hope and peace and love, so the pink one is a joyful break from the perpetual purple, showing that Christmas is close. Tradition suggests that the third Sunday of Advent is known as “Gaudete Sunday,” which is Latin for “rejoice,” and symbolizes the joy that the shepherds felt when they heard about the birth of Jesus, which is why it is sometimes called the “Shepherd’s Candle.” From this candle, we are reminded of what it means to accept and live out the joy of the new born king.

This week, we focus on the fourth Candle of Advent: the Candle of Love. From this candle, we are reminded of the love that will come down at Christmas. This love is our hope. This love is our peace. This love is our joy. This love is more than something we say: it’s something that we feel, show, and give to others. This love is Jesus Christ. And Jesus Christ, our source of love, will come to change the world. And this change begins in a stable because there was no room in the Inn.

Luke 2 begins with political intrigue. Before Joseph, Mary, and Jesus are mentioned, we are introduced to Caesar Augustus and Quirinius. Luke places the birth of Jesus in the context of world events.  Verse one says, “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.” Caesar Augustus was the first and greatest Roman emperor. His leadership established the Pax Romana—the Roman peace that spread throughout the Mediterranean. That peace came at the cost of taxation, though. The Roman government performed periodic censuses for tax purposes: to fund the military, create public works, establish trade, stimulate the economy, and for the imperial bureaucracy. Verse two reports Caesar Augustus decreed that this registration occurred “when Quirinius was governor of Syria” suggesting a timeframe between 3 AD and 6 AD. Then in verse three Luke explains the process of collecting taxes from said census: “And all went to their own towns to be registered.” Every man was to return to their ancestral home to be registered.

Although it appears that the Roman Empire was in control of the “world” at the time of Jesus’ birth—which politically it was—we must remind ourselves that God was in control. God was at work behind the scenes to ensure his Son Jesus was born at the right place and time. God controls nations. God controls rulers. God controls statutes. God controls events. God controls details. God is in control. In Romans 8:28, we read these words from Paul, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Jesus was born during a political upheaval and complete dominance over God’s people, but was in control. Are you allowing God to take control of your life?

The Old Testament promised the coming of the Messiah-King. Israel had waited for centuries for God to fulfill His promise. The time had finally come. The promised one was ready to take the stage of world history. But God only works according to His word. So God swept Joseph and Mary up in the redemptive drama of world politics to identify Jesus as the divinely promised and long-awaited Messiah-King.  Luke 2:4 states, “Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.” Joseph is the forgotten man of Christ. He was the local handyman in an ancient ghetto called Nazareth, where Nathaniel reports that “nothing good can come out of Nazareth” (John 1:46). Matthew 1:19 says he was “a just man or righteous man.” Joseph discovered his fiancée was pregnant. Instead of pressing charges, he planned to divorce her quietly. The angel told Joseph the child Mary carried was conceived of the Holy Spirit. So he took Mary to be his wife. 

When Caesar Augustus made his decree, Joseph went up from Nazareth of Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea. Bethlehem was called “the city of David,” (or “House of Bread”) where he was born and raised. Joseph was of the house and lineage of David. So, he returned to his ancestral home to be registered in his own town. It was more than the act of a law-abiding citizen: Joseph doesn’t push back against the order, although he may have had a few choice words for Caesar. It was the providential orchestration of God as prophesied in Micah 5:2, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth from me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” Seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus, Micah predicted where the Messiah would be born, a place that demonstrated the lineage of both father and son.

Then, Luke notes in verse five, “He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.” This verse gives two critical facts about Mary. First, Mary was engaged to Joseph. This meant that there was a covenant between Mary and Joseph that was as binding as the actual marriage covenant. To break the engagement, which Joseph sought to do in Matthew 1:19-20, a formal divorce was required. Second, we are told that Mary is expecting a child: Mary is pregnant or as verse six notes Mary was “with child.” The King James Version says she was “great with child.” Gabriel told Mary she would have a son. She asked, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” Luke 1:35 answers: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” The Virgin Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit and gave birth to the Son of God in fulfillment of messianic prophecy. Isaiah 7:14 says, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel”—meaning “God is with us.” Nothing about Christmas is more important than the virgin birth, realizing that “God is with us.”

Following the notation that Mary is engaged and with child, Luke notes, “While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child” (Luke 2:6). Jesus was born at the right place at the right time. Jesus could have been born in Nazareth, but he wasn’t. Jesus could have been born on a different day and time, but he wasn’t. Luke says it happened “while they were there.” Joseph and Mary travel about ninety miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The trip would have taken three days. It was probably longer than that due to Mary’s condition. We do not know how long Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem. But while they were there, she gave birth to Jesus. Mary was not actually required to be registered. However, God needed Joseph and Mary to be in Bethlehem to fulfill a prophecy established many years before. God knows how to get you where he wants you to be! God knew you needed to be here today.

Lastly, Luke states in the following verse, “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room” (Luke 2:7). Jesus is called “her firstborn son.” Colossians 1:15 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” Then we find ourselves present beside the manger—the feeding trough of the animals—as Mary “wrapped him bands of cloth” or as some translations indicate, “swaddled in cloths.” This was normal pediatrics. The newborn swaddled to keep their arms and legs straight and to keep the child warm. (As a sided note, the swaddling cloths were medical bandages used to shroud the dead. The baby Jesus was dressed in grave clothes. He was born to die!) Then, “Mary laid him in a manger.” The “manger” was a feeding trough that may have been in a barn, cave, or outside. Luke 2:12 says, “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

The verse ends by saying, “There was no place for them in the inn.” Some translations, such as the New International Version, state that there was “no guest room available for them.” Remember,  people are travelling from all places—some nearby and some faraway—to be registered in Bethlehem. This settle detail reminds us of two things. First, Bethlehem was crowded. On the night Jesus was born, depending on where the stable was located, many people could have witnessed this miraculous birth, heard the screams of Mary, the cries of Jesus, the encouragement of Joseph. Potentially, there could have been more than Mary and Joseph and the shepherds present at the manger that first Christmas night. Some may have stopped to witness. Some may have kept walking. Would you have stopped to witness the birth of Christ or would you have kept walking?

Second, although there was no room in the Inn—kataluma in Greek—there was room in a manger. Although there was no room in the Inn, there was room in the manger. This is a powerful reminder for all of us that when others reject us and tell us there is no room for us, there is always room in the manger where Jesus was born: there is always room when it comes to Jesus. It’s no wonder Jesus tells his disciples in John 14:2, “My Father’s house has many rooms….” Jesus came to this earth not to reject people but receive people. Jesus came to this earth not to ignore people but to welcome people. Jesus came to this earth not to close the stable but to keep the stable open for all. My question for you is, “Are you willing to go to the stable or are you going to keep searching for an open Inn?”

The question we need to now ask ourselves is, “What does the beginning of Luke Chapter Two teach us about Christ’s love for us, about the love that will come down at Christmas? Let’s find out…

 

Movement Two: Love Came Down at Christmas…

In the last chapter of his book, What Do You Want For Christmas?, author and once preacher and pastor in the United Methodist Church, James W. Moore offers his readers three insights to how the love of Christ can change them. He talks about how love is what saves us from disillusionment, defeat, and death. These three things, if valued more than love, will conquer us and push us further away from the manger instead of drawing us closer to it. Let’s explore the words of Moore together.

First, love saves us from disillusionment. Disillusionment is often defined as “a feeling of disappointment resulting from the discovery that something is not as good as one believed it to be.” Words such as discouragement and distress have been used as synonyms for the word disillusionment. Examples include, losing faith in something or someone admired, giving up on  your dream job because it turned into mundane work, believing in a political hero who in turn fails to deliver on their promises, and realizing a relationship isn’t the perfect romance you imagined. This feeling happens when we discover that something isn’t as amazing as believed. This feeling is what the love of Christ saves us from.

Outside of the Bible, the most famous Christmas story ever written is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. What can you remember about the story? Well, most everybody knows that Charles Dickens’s story is about a gruff, stingy character named Ebenezer Scrooge. We probably also recall that there is a little boy in the story named Tiny Tim Cratchit, who is most always happy and is always saying, “God bless us, everyone!” We remember that Scrooge was visited by three ghosts: The Ghost of Christmas Past, The Ghost of Christmas Present, and The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come.

Now, we remember that much about the story. But actually, if we look closer, we see that this is a story about conversion. To quote Moore, “Scrooge was a despicable character—a selfish, arrogant, greedy, hard-hearted, mean-spirited, uncaring, unsympathetic, unchristian tightwad.”[10] Scrooge’s now famous response to Christmas—“Bah! Humbug!”—has become the sad symbol of such disillusioned spirits. But much like the Grinch, Scrooge’s heart may have grown three-sizes that day.

As the story unfolds, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited one night by some ghosts who subject him to a haunting. Scared out of his wits by the ghosts, Scrooge is forced to see himself as he really is. The visits of the ghosts, and the Christ-like, unconditional love of the Cratchit family, who keep on loving him even though he has treated them horribly—those two things combine to convert Ebenezer Scrooge. And now with a second chance, he changes completely! He loves Christmas. He gets into a loving spirit of the season: sending presents to the Cratchits and a large amount of money to charity. He dresses up and goes to his nephew’s house for Christmas dinner and announces to his clerk, Bob Cratchit, that he will be receiving a nice raise.

Why are we so fascinated with this story? Because deep down, this is our story. Deep down inside, deeper even than some of us realize, we all relate to Ebenezer Scrooge. That is to say, we all need help; we all have unknown flaws; we all need to face up to ourselves; we all need to be converted from selfishness to love. We all need to be saved from our disillusionments and disappointments by the love of Christ. Two thousand years ago, God looked down and saw the sick and disillusioned people, so He sent them His one and only son to save them and to change them and to show them a better way. Today, it’s Christ’s love that saves us from ourselves. It’s Christ’s love that gets through the Red Seas of life. It’s Christ’s love that calms our storms. It’s Christ’s love that nurtures us and redeems us. Its Christ’s love that heals us, liberates us, and breaks our chains. It’s Christ’s love that forgives us. Its Christ’s love that the foundation of our church is built. It’s Christ’s love that draws us to the manger scene. Do you need the love of Christ in your life so that you can be converted and receive him in your heart today?

Second, love saves us from being defeated. In 1939, a man named Robert L. May worked in the publicity department for Montgomery Ward Stores. He was asked, for publicity and marketing purposes, to come up with a new story for Christmas. May mixed two stories together: the story of Santa Claus and the story of the Ugly Duckling, and he created this new story called “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”[11] The Rudolph story quickly caught on, and over the next couple of years, Montgomery Ward distributed more than six million coloring books telling the story of Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer. Robert May’s story of Rudolph became so popular that ten years later, in 1949, Mr. May’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, wrote a song about it. Gene Autry recorded the song, and, as they say, the rest is history.

Do you know why people like the Rudolph story so much? It’s not just because it’s a cute, child-friendly story, not just because the song has neat words and a catchy tune. No, people like this story because it’s about rising above defeat. It’s about turning a difference into an advantage. It’s about turning a defeat into a victory. You may remember that early on, much like the Ugly Duckling, Rudolph was despised and rejected and teased and taunted because of his red nose. His father, Donner, even tries to cover up his red nose so that he can play reindeer games and be like all the other reindeer. But it doesn’t work. Rudolph runs away and finds himself on the Island of Misfit Toys. But, in the end, with outside help, he becomes the hero. He saves the day with his “nose so bright.”[12]

Remember that powerful verse in Paul’s letter to the Philippians: “I can do all things through [Christ] who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). When Christ came into the world as a baby born in a stable, he came into a world that was in political upheaval, civil unrest, people enslaved and mistreated, with wars and rumors of wars, and where many people felt down-and-out and defeated. Sounds like Jesus entered our world today. He came to show the people and us that he will be with us always, and that he can lift us above anything that threatens to defeat us. He can lift us out of the mire clay and guide us through the valley of death. He showed us in a manger and he showed us on the cross that his love is the most powerful thing in the world and that if we believe in him and trust him, nothing can defeat us. His love is what saves us from defeat.

How do you know his love has saved you from defeat? You know because you will have this urge to say, with everything going on in your life, as artist Mr. Vegas sings, “I am blessed, I am blessed. Every day of my life, I am blessed. When I wake up in the morning and I lay my head to rest, every day of my life I am blessed” and you will be able to repeat the words of the music group Cain who sings, “I’m so blessed, I’m so blessed. Got this heartbeat in my chest. No, it doesn’t matter about the rest if I got you, Lord, I’m so blessed.” The love of Christmas is a reminder that our blessings have saved us from being defeated by the enemy. With Christ’s love in your life, you have the strength to overcome any moment of feeling defeated.

Third, love saves us from death. I don’t have a story to share with this point. Rather, I have a single Bible verse that sums it up perfectly. John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” God’s immense love for His people, as shown through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, His only son, is what saves us from death. Matthew 16:25 informs us, “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” If you are willing to lose your life for Christ—to take up your cross, deny yourself, and follow Christ—then you will have everlasting life with him in heaven. John 5:24 quotes Jesus, “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and does not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.” If you believe in God and have heard His word, you will not die but live eternally in heaven. Revelation 14:13 shares, “And I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who from now on die in the Lord.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.”

The love of Christ, which lay in a humble manger in the small and less than significant town of Bethlehem for many to see, is the love that will save us from death. This love is what will redeem us. This love is what will revive us. This love is what will bring us back to life. Death will not have the last word if you believe in the saving grace and love of Jesus Christ. God didn’t send his love down on Christmas for Himself: He sent His love, His only Son, for Mary, for Joseph, for the shepherds, for those coming to Bethlehem to be counted for the census, for the Scrooge’s that need a second chance, for the Rudolph’s that have so much hidden potential, for the Misfit Toys that need to feel welcomed, for the least, the lost, and the last, for the hurting, for the sick, for the abandoned, for the ignored, and for the neglected, for the vulnerable, for the world and for you. God did all this for you so that you would feel loved and alive.

Christ’s love saves us. It saves us from disillusionment. It saves us from being defeated. And it saves us from death. The best part about this love—yes, is hope, peace, and joy—is the fact that once you have it, it is always with you: “For nothing can separate you from the love of God in Jesus Christ” (Romans 8:38). Jesus’s agape, unconditional and sacrificial love, is with you always. No matter where you go, the love of Christmas is with you. No matter what you do, the love of Christmas is with you. No matter how upset, worn out, stressed, or frustrated you may be, the love of Christmas is with you. Much like his peace, Jesus leaves with us and give us his love because of how powerful and saving and life changing it is.

The love born in Bethlehem is more than a word: it is an expression of who Christ is and what he is willing to do for you. God didn’t have to send us Jesus but he did because we all need to feel loved.

 

Movement Three: Is Love on Your Christmas List?

Some years ago a young woman named Karen became a missionary. She was a well-trained nurse and was sent to serve in a Methodist mission hospital in a remote corner of Africa. Karen loved her work. She knew that God had called her to this special healing ministry, and she felt incredible fulfillment in bringing much needed love and medical care to the people in this impoverished region of the world.[13]

But as Christmas approached, Karen’s thoughts returned toward home. Christmas had always been a wonderful time for her family. They would always go to church together on Christmas Eve and then open presents together on Christmas morning. What would she send them? She wouldn’t be able to go home for Christmas that year, so she would send her presents by mail; but what to send? She had very little money and no place to shop, and mailing a bunch of large presents was out of the question.[14]

Then Karen smiled: she knew just what to do. Some days later, a small box arrived at the front door of her parents’ home. When Karen’s mother found the box and saw the postmark from Africa, she knew it contained Christmas presents from Karen. On the outside of the box, written in bold print, were these words: “Please open on Christmas morning with the whole family.” So on Christmas morning, after all of the other presents had been exchanged, Karen’s mother opened the box. Inside it, she found a number of envelopes—one for Karen’s father, one for her mother, one for Karen’s sister, one or her brother-in-law, one for her niece, and for her nephew.[15]

When the family members opened the envelopes, at first they were surprised. Each envelope held a small piece of poster paper. The pieces had been cut into funny shapes. Suddenly, they realized it was a homemade jigsaw puzzle, and each family member had one piece of the puzzle. Quickly, they went to a table and put the pieces together, and when the last piece was put into place, they realized that the puzzle they had put together was in the shape of a heart. On the homemade poster paper heart were inscribed these words from Karen: “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, I give to you. I give you my heart.”[16]

This is what God did for us on that first Christmas: God sent us His heart! He sent His only son into the world to save us, to redeem us, and to turn our lives around. God sent us His heart to show us how much He loves us and to show us how He wants us to love one another. The love that God has given us is a love that completes our puzzle, that puts us together, and that reminds us that we are loved. Sometimes the best gift we can receive at Christmas is not something that we can hold, but rather something that reminds us that we are loved and that our love has impacted someone else.

 

Conclusion:

Today is the last Sunday of Advent. We have been reminded of Christ’s hope that heals us, of Christ’s peace that calms us, and of Christ’s joy that encourages us to smile. And today, we have been reminded of a love that can save us. In just a few days, the best gift of Christmas will descend to earth, be born of a virgin, lie in a manger of hay because there was no room in the Inn, will cry and laugh and look at everyone who walks by, and who will always welcome you to the manger. This gift is Jesus whose name means “Yahweh saves.”

The best gift we can ever receive on Christmas is the gift of Christ who, through his hope, peace, joy, and love, has come to save us. Is the love of Christ on your Christmas list? Is sharing the love of Christ this Christmas on your to do list? If the love of Christ can change the world, then just imagine, when you fully believe in him, what his love can do for you. In the words of Charles Wesley, “Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die, born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth. Hark! the Herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King.’”  Let it be so…

 

Closing Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for the many gifts of Christmas, especially the gift of love. Help us celebrate this special time of the year by sharing the love of Christ with others. In your loving name we pray, Amen.

 

Benediction:

Church, you are loved. I love you. Emily loves you. Your family and friends love you. This community loves you. Embrace this love and remind yourself, that in just a few days, the love of Christmas will be born and it will change you and it will save you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, go forth embracing the love of Christmas. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.

Have a blessed week and very Merry Christmas!

 

 

[1] Kathy Caprino, Forbes Magazine, “The Top 8 Things People Desperately Desire But Can’t Seem To Attain.” May 24, 2016. Accessed November 24, 2025. https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2016/05/24/the-top-8-things-people-desperately-desire-but-cant-seem-to-attain/

[2] People said they find happiness in a job, a spouse, in their family, a title or position, a paycheck, or in fancy house.

[3] Money allows us to do wonderful things: buy our favorite brand of clothing, purchase the newest tool on the market, go on vacations, go out to eat, go shopping, and it allows us to support those in need. To this finding, Caprino asked, “How much money do you really need to bring about the life experiences that will truly fulfill you?”

[4] We all want it, and, to some extent, we all have it. Freedom requires making yourself right, following your own authentic beliefs and values, and building strong boundaries to protect yourself. It also requires, notes Caprino, “boldness and courage to make yourself your own.”^[4] We all want freedom, but how do we pursue freedom through our faith.

[5] We long for peace, desperately. Peace from noise, chatter, pressure, responsibilities. We also want peace from the painful thumping inside our own heads—the conflicts and strain we inflict on ourselves every minute to be better, stronger, smarter, you fill in the blank… I appreciate what Caprino states, “You don’t have to know your purpose to be at peace—you just have to commit to being at peace…”

[6] Simply put, joy comes from the process of becoming more of who you already are from those in your life, from your blessings, and from finding the good even in the bad.

[7] Balance takes understanding of our non-negotiables—what we won’t compromise on and what we will say “yes” to all while making the right decisions that align with our life’s priorities.

[8] Fulfillment can be defined as this: “Satisfaction or happiness as a result of fully developing one’s abilities or character.”^[8] Fulfillment is possible when you are filling up your cup (maybe to the point of having it run over), honoring and respecting yourself, and doing what brings you joy.

[9] Confidence comes from acknowledging our own magnificence, not shying away from it. When we’re in situations that are hurtful, demeaning, challenging and worse, we lose confidence. We get rocked and we stay rocked. We forget who we are, and what we are capable of.

[10] James W. Moore, What Do You Want For Christmas: An Advent Study for Adults, Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2008. pg. 41.

[11] James W. Moore, What Do You Want For Christmas: An Advent Study for Adults, Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2008. pg. 42.

[12] James W. Moore, What Do You Want For Christmas: An Advent Study for Adults, Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2008. pg. 43.

[13] James W. Moore, What Do You Want For Christmas: An Advent Study for Adults, Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2008. pg. 38.

[14] James W. Moore, What Do You Want For Christmas: An Advent Study for Adults, Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2008. pg. 39.

[15] James W. Moore, What Do You Want For Christmas: An Advent Study for Adults, Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2008. pg. 39.

[16] James W. Moore, What Do You Want For Christmas: An Advent Study for Adults, Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2008. pg. 39-40.