BIG POINT
Jesus Opens Our Heart To Praise
OBJECTIVE
To teach how important it is to prepare our hearts to Praise Jesus in the Christmas season. It is not just a season to buy new things, or prepare our houses, but it’s more of how we prepare our hearts to celebrate Jesus.
GOD’S WORD
Luke 1:39-56 NIRV (Mary Visits Elizabeth)
MEMORY VERSE
A child will be born to us.
Isaiah 9:6 New International Reader’s Version (NIRV)
A son will be given to us.
He will rule over us.
And he will be called
Wonderful Adviser and Mighty God.
He will also be called Father Who Lives Forever
and Prince Who Brings Peace.
| Praise | TBC |
| Heart Prep | TBC |
| Worship/Praise | Joy to the World |
TEACHING
When we think Christmas, we think gifts, wrapped presents, and delightful surprises. We think delectable food, sumptuous feasts. We think Christmas trees and holiday decor, lights, and lanterns. We think parties and get-togethers, music and dancing, timeless tunes and merry melodies.
These aren’t bad things. In fact, God wants us to celebrate. He wants us to live life to the fullest.
Remember the very first miracle recorded in the Bible? Jesus turned water into wine during a wedding ceremony. And it wasn’t ordinary table wine either; it was good wine, probably the expensive kind. He wants all the best things in life for us.
The problem comes when we focus more on the outward merriment rather than the inward joy. We have to be careful not to mistake all the planning, practicing, or purchasing that we make as all that’s needed to prepare for the Christmas season.
And again, there’s nothing wrong with all the things that we do to celebrate. Traditions are still important. They are part of the way that God blesses us, as are all the good things in life that we enjoy. We just have to remember that in all of these, the ultimate objective is to celebrate Jesus, to praise and worship Him. We have to be mindful that everything that we are doing glorifies God.
So then this Christmas, as you make your lists and plan your events, don’t lose sight that it is an all act of worship, an expression of praise. This way, when we use the usual words, like “be joyful” and “rejoice” and “be merry”, then we would truly experience them the way God intends — deep and true, and rooted in Jesus.
