The Greatest Gift for the Greatest Gift
Type: Sunday Morning Service
Sermon: The Greatest Gift for the Greatest Gift
🗣️ Speaker: Pastor Scott Anderson
Christmas is God’s greatest gift—Jesus—given not to the impressive or elite but to the unexpected, overlooked, and broken. The shepherds’ response shows that good news transforms our countenance, confidence, conversations, and conduct, compelling us to share it with others. Believers are called to urgently invite people to encounter Christ, especially during a season when hearts are open.
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Additional Info
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The Greatest Gift That Is Too Good to Keep Quiet
Every Christmas we wrap and exchange gifts, but Scripture reveals that the greatest gift ever given was not wrapped in paper but in flesh. Jesus was not delivered under a decorated tree but placed in a manger and eventually hung on a cross. When God sent His Son, He gave humanity hope, salvation, and a gift too good to keep to ourselves.
A Message Announced to the Unexpected
Luke 2:8 reminds us that the first announcement of Jesus’ birth went not to the elite or religious leaders but to shepherds—those considered unclean, unreliable, and unworthy by society. God flipped every human expectation by choosing the overlooked as the first recipients of the gospel. This pattern shows us that God still delights in meeting people whom society ignores and using those who simply make themselves available.
The Gospel as Good News of Great Joy
Luke 2:10 declares the angel’s message as “good news of great joy,” not a burden or an obligation. True joy is the echo of grace, and when the gospel takes root in the heart, it transforms expression, confidence, and the willingness to share what God has done. Like the shepherds, believers today are invited to tell others what they have seen, heard, and experienced.
Good News That Changes Conduct
After encountering Jesus, the shepherds returned to their fields glorifying and praising God (Luke 2:20). Their circumstances did not change, but they themselves were changed. A true encounter with Jesus reshapes priorities, attitudes, and the way we respond to life’s challenges.
Responding to the Message with Urgency
The shepherds were never told to go to Bethlehem; they responded instinctively to the good news. Their example challenges believers not to treat Jesus like a seasonal decoration but to embrace the mission of sharing Him with others. A single invitation, text message, or conversation can redirect a person’s eternity, especially in a season when hearts are tender.
Joining God’s Mission This Season
Every empty seat represents a soul God longs to reach. Invitations, conversations, and prayerful urgency are simple yet powerful ways to partner with God in drawing people toward Christ. This season offers a unique opportunity for believers to extend the hope that changed their own lives.
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Use the questions listed below as a launching point to discuss the sermon points together as a family. These are great for dinner table discussions and small groups.
Opening Reflection
What is a Christmas gift you received that was so good you couldn’t keep it to yourself?Discussion Questions
Why do you think God chose shepherds—social outsiders—to receive the first announcement of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:8–10)?
How does the angel’s message challenge your understanding of “good news of great joy”?
In what ways has the gospel changed your countenance, confidence, conversations, or conduct?
Who in your life may feel “unexpected” or “unworthy,” yet needs an invitation to encounter Jesus this season?
What distractions or routines most often keep you from responding to God with urgency?
Action Step
Ask God to lay three names on your heart this week. Pray for each by name and intentionally invite at least one person to church or to a gospel-centered conversation. -
Luke 2:8–20
In first-century Judea, shepherds lived on the margins of society. Although shepherding was a respected profession during Israel’s earlier history (Abraham, David), by the time of Jesus’ birth, many rabbis considered shepherds ceremonially unclean and socially unreliable. They were often excluded from temple worship and could not testify in court. God announcing the Messiah’s birth to shepherds first upended cultural expectations and revealed the inclusive nature of His kingdom.Isaiah 9:2–3
Isaiah prophesied during a time of national fear, moral decline, and Assyrian oppression. Israel was longing for deliverance, and darkness symbolized spiritual blindness and despair. The “great light” promised in Isaiah 9 foretold a Messianic hope that would break into the world not through political power but God’s intervention. This prophecy finds its fulfillment in Jesus, whose arrival brings light to those walking in darkness.John 4:28 (Woman at the Well)
Samaria was religiously and culturally despised by the Jews, and Jewish men typically did not speak publicly with Samaritan women. The woman at the well was marginalized even within her own community. Yet Jesus intentionally revealed Himself to her, making her one of the earliest messengers of His identity. This reinforces that God uses the unexpected to spread His message. -
Introduction (3 minutes)
Ask: “Have you ever gotten a gift so amazing you wanted to tell someone right away?” Explain that today they’ll learn about the greatest gift God ever gave—and how the first people who heard about it couldn’t keep it quiet!Scripture (5 minutes)
Luke 2:8–14 — The angels tell the shepherds about Jesus.Craft: Angel Announcement Ornament (10 minutes)
Materials: Paper circles, glue, gold/yellow paper, markers, ribbon.
Kids create an angel ornament with the words “Good News of Great Joy!” and hang it on a ribbon.Game: Shepherds on the Move (5 minutes)
Set up cones or chairs. Kids pretend to be shepherds who hear the angel’s announcement and “run to Bethlehem.” Time how fast they can navigate the “field.”Discussion Questions (5 minutes)
Why did God choose shepherds to hear the good news first?
What did the angels tell them?
How did the shepherds respond?
Who could you share Jesus’ love with this week?
Wrap-Up & Prayer (2 minutes)
Remind kids that Jesus is God’s greatest gift and that we can share His love with others.
Pray: “Jesus, thank You for coming to earth to save us. Help us share Your love with others just like the shepherds did. Amen.” -
All right, who's ready for the Word today? Amen! Let's jump in. Every Christmas we wrap gifts. We hide gifts. We buy gifts that we regret. And we receive gifts that we pretend to like. You know the one I'm talking about. Oh my goodness sister that is so dear to me. I will never part ways with this. This means so much to me. You know the one I'm talking about. It's like it was knitted by a blindfolded raccoon. Have you ever received one of those? It's handmade. Or that candle that smells like somebody bottled regret and called it holiday breeze. Come on, somebody. But there's one rule everyone knows about gifts. The better the gift, the harder it is to keep it to yourself. Does anyone else struggle with this? Have you ever gotten a gift so good for someone that the moment that you went to the store, and you bought it. You wanted to tell them about it. Christmas is six months away. And you're thinking, I don't think I can wait six months to tell them about this. You didn't wait a week. You didn't stay quiet. You could barely hold it in. And friends, this is absolutely my wife at Christmas. Our family knows that Katie cannot, let me repeat, cannot keep a secret. If you want her to keep a secret, let me just tell you, it's not going to happen. She hates the suspense and the anticipation. From the moment that we draw names for the family until Christmas morning, she becomes Detective Katie as she tries to determine who has my name. And once she buys a gift for the person that she's picked, oh, it's all over. That person can walk into the room and she is over there in the corner laughing hysterically. I wonder who Katie got this year. You see, some gifts are too good. Good to keep a secret. Christmas is the story of the greatest gift that was ever given. Not a gift wrapped in paper, but wrapped in flesh. Not a gift placed under a tree, but hung on one. Not a gift delivered by Amazon, but hand delivered by angels from heaven. And when God placed His Son in that manger, He didn't give the world just another gift. He gave the world our Messiah. In the very first box, He gave the world our Messiah. Christmas is the greatest gift ever given. It is not wrapped in paper, but it is wrapped in flesh. And you know what's wild about this gift? The first people who heard about Jesus could not keep it to themselves. The shepherds didn't stay in the field. They ran to tell others about him. The wise men didn't hide their discovery of the Messiah. They followed the star so others would see. Mary did not hide what God had done in her heart. She sang it out. Because when a gift is that good, church, you don't hoard it, you share it. Church, this Christmas season isn't just something to celebrate. It's something for us to spread. in your life right now. Who are wrapped in loneliness. Wrapped in confusion. Wrapped in fear. Wrapped in sin and the wages of death. Who desperately need the gift that changed your life. This season gives you something. The entire church that is very rare. That we haven't had this year yet. A moment when hearts are softer. Doors are wider. And invitations land a bit heavier. This Christmas can I encourage you. Don't keep the greatest gift that you've ever been given to yourself. Invite someone into it. Invite someone to this church. Invite someone to Jesus. Because your one invitation could unwrap someone's eternity. I want us to look at the Christmas story in a fresh way this year, if you don't mind. Because tucked away inside Luke 2 is more than just a manger scene. It is a blueprint for how God uses ordinary people to spread extraordinary So instead of reading all 12 verses at once, I want us to unwrap this passage the same way that you would unwrap a Christmas gift on Christmas Day. Let's start with the first layer. The first layer is the message came to the unexpected. Luke 2.8 says, And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. Now pause with me for just a second. Because if you've grown up in church, you've heard that verse so many times that it probably doesn't shock you anymore. You just go through the motions. So I want us to stop and I want us to break this verse down. Shepherds out in the field at night. It sounds very peaceful. It sounds picturesque. It sounds like a Hallmark card. But in Luke's day, I want you to understand something. Shepherds were not peaceful, picturesque, or even respected by society. They were considered the unexpected outsiders in many ways. You see, shepherds were the people society often overlooked. They were in the background. They were not the elite, the educated, or the influential. There was a reason they were not found in town, and they were found with the sheep. They weren't part of the temple leadership. They were not considered trustworthy witnesses in court. And here is the crazy thing. Many rabbis taught that shepherds were unworked. of God's favor. I don't know about you, but I find that hilarious. God chose to announce the birth of His Son to the very group of people deemed unworthy of God's favor by man. Don't you love how God flips the script of what we think is normal? And He says, no, here's what I say. You see, let me stop right here for just a second and preach. Church, we need to be careful who we label as unworthy of God's favor and love. Because the moment we start deciding who deserves grace, we forget that none of us in this room deserved it in the first place. The Christmas story reminds us that God does His best work with people that the world counts out. If you don't believe me, take a look at Exhibit A. He didn't send them to the scholars, the priests, or even the elite. He sent them to shepherds, men who smelled like sheep, lived outside the city, slept on the ground, and were considered spiritually second class, like dirt. Something we need to understand is the gospel always flips the script. The kingdom doesn't start at the top, it starts in the margins. God didn't choose the expected. He chose the overlooked in society. So I want to encourage someone here today or online. If you've ever felt overlooked, unseen, felt like you didn't belong, you are exactly the kind of person that God loves to show up for. And church, here's the reminder that we cannot miss. If God sent the message to the unexpected back then, then God is still sending the message to the unexpected today. What does this mean? come to church with you. The co-worker who seems too far gone, has done too much, is too dirty. The family member who rolls their eyes anytime you mention the name Jesus. The neighbor who avoids you because they think you are one of those Jesus freaks. The son or daughter that you've been praying for for years. That prodigal of yours. Hear me in this house. They are not beyond his reach. They are not too messy. They are not too broken. They belong here in this house. like you do today. They are not too lost. Let me share with you what I gained from the shepherds in this passage. God doesn't start with perfect people. He starts with available people. Are you available this Christmas season to be used by God? Are you available to do whatever God wants you to do? Speak and share the gospel to whoever he tells you to speak to? Speak up and invite people to church with you this Christmas? Let me say this plainly. If God brought the announcement of Jesus to shepherds in a field, He can bring the hope of Jesus to everyone that you know because the greatest gift ever given was not meant to be given to the greatest people. It was meant to be given to every person. If anyone was expecting to hear from God, I can assure you it was not the shepherds. They were not theologians or scholars. They weren't the most religious, but here is the gospel truth. God doesn't speak to you because of your resume. He speaks to you because of His mercy. Let me tell you something. The shepherds weren't expecting an angel. But that angel was expecting them. Isaiah prophesied saying that the light would show up to people walking in darkness. Not polished. Not privileged. Not the perfect. And that night on a silent hillside that prophecy came alive in the faces of shepherds. The very people that the religious leaders said were not good enough for God. Here's what he said. Isaiah 9 2 through 3. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. Friends, I'm here to tell you, despite everything the enemy whispers, darkness is not the end of your story. Because when God sends his light onto your scene, he sends it to the very places that you thought that he would never come. If the light found shepherds in a field, then I've got good news for you today. It can find your family, your children, your co-workers, your prodigals, our skeptics, our wanderers, and even the ones that you can find. that swore they would never step foot in a church again. I'm here to tell you God has their number. And church, if we're talking about God showing up to the unexpected, let me help you with something right here. Sometimes the people God chooses to use will surprise you. And sometimes they'll sit right next to you in church. You know exactly who I'm talking about. That person in church who worships a little too enthusiastically for your comfort. The one who jumps so high their hat has its own praise ministry. Come on, somebody. You know what I'm talking about. Y'all haven't, y'all were not growing up in a home church like I grew up in, apparently. They're spitting, shouting, spitting on everyone within a six-row radius, speaking in tongues, and every three seconds, whap, that hat smacks you in the face like it's laying hands on you. Some people, no one in this church, no one in this, it's the church down the road, okay, get so upset by it that they start planning an escape route like they're breaking out of prison. They grab their Bible, their purse, their jacket, their bulletin, their dignity, and they quickly relocate three rows back. But then they discover something. The worshiper has multiplied. Now there's one three rows back. Same energy, same hat, same praise, but this one has a Church of God tambourine. Come on, somebody. Can I encourage you today? That person's not your enemy. They're the ones we need here. Can I encourage you today? Instead of saying I'm moving away from them, try saying Lord move that kind of fire into me. Because sometimes the people who seem the most unexpected, the most unrefined, the most extra are the exact people God chooses to show up to. You see what I find ironic is oftentimes we judge the Pharisees in the Bible for their actions because they were often very judgmental. They were calloused when it came to their view of God. and harsh with outsiders. Yet oftentimes as Christians, we act the same way today. The Pharisees could not conceive of a God that would allow outsiders into the kingdom. But this is exactly what he did that first Christmas. I'm telling you, Christmas is God shouting to the church, no one is too far, too dirty, too broken for my grace. I'm going to tell you something. I don't know about you. but I was not good enough to make it into the kingdom all by myself. I'm willing to admit it in front of all of you today. I needed a little help from my friend named Jesus. Maybe you didn't. Maybe you floated into salvation on a cloud of perfection. Never messed up. Never slipped up. Never struggled. You never prayed one of those Lord if you get me out of this mess I promise I will serve you for the rest of my life type of prayers. But for me I needed grace. I needed mercy. I needed a savior who wasn't afraid to step into my mess and Pulled me out of what I could not get myself out of. And I believe I could be wrong. But I believe I'm not the only one here today. Is there anybody in here who would say, Pastor, I wasn't saved because I was impressive. I was saved because God was merciful. Because here's the reality. Some of you sitting in this room and some of you watching online, you know exactly what it feels like to feel like you don't fit the part. Like you're not spiritually enough. Religious Enough, Churchy Enough, You don't wear the right clothes, you're not clean enough, you're not good enough, but hear me and hear me good, Christmas destroys the lie that you have to fit in for God to find you. Listen, the shepherds were not polished, God showed up to them anyway. They were not expected, God chose them anyway. They were not perfect, God called them anyway. And if He did it for them, I've got a feeling He can do it for you today. If you think you're too messy, too Too broken, too behind, too complicated, too imperfect. Congratulations. So is everyone sitting in this room today, whether they want to admit it today or not. But here is the amazing news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And let me tell you, you won't find this type of news with any other so-called Messiah because there is no one like our Jesus. You are the reason that He came to this earth. I want you to stop and think about that. We're going to personalize this. You are the reason. He came. You are the reason the angels filled the sky. You are the reason heaven could not stay quiet that Christmas morning. Because the greatest gift ever given was not wrapped in perfection. It was wrapped in swaddling clothes, laid in a manger, and offered to the unlikely, the unpolished, and the unexpected. And someone needs to praise God this morning for His unending mercy and grace in their life. Friends, I'm here to challenge us today. The gospel of Jesus Christ isn't just for those we like it's for everyone. Whether we like it or not. I've told this story before but it's worth repeating. Years ago, Pastor Tommy Barnett, many of you probably have heard of him or know of him, he got done preaching after a service and a church member came up to him and he had that frustrated look on his face. He was irritated and looked like he had been rehearsing this complaint all morning long. And then he said, Pastor, You need to do something about all the cigarette butts in the church parking lot. It looks terrible. Christians should not be leaving cigarettes everywhere. Pastor Tommy looked at him, paused for a second, and said something that absolutely stunned that man. He said, I love seeing cigarette butts in the church parking lot. Cigarette butts mean imperfect people are coming to this church. It means hurting people feel safe here. It means people are inching closer to God. means that the gospel is working. Is it not what we want in our churches today? Then he said the part that struck me personally that has shaped the way I view ministry. I will sweep cigarette butts every day of my life if it means that God is sending us people who desperately need Jesus. Sometimes we forget what this whole thing is about. Sometimes we get so used to church being comfortable and clean and predictable and orderly that we forget God did not call us to build a museum for the saints. He called us to build a hospital for people. Listen, if the church parking lot is spotless, praise God. But if people's lives are broken, then we're not helping them, then we have missed the point. If we brag about how nice everything looks, but nobody is getting saved at these altars, we've missed the point. If we protect our preferences more than we pursue lost people, then we've missed God's heart completely. I don't know about you, but I want to be a part of a church where the parking lot may not always be perfect, but lives are being changed inside. Where the floors may get dirty, but hearts are being washed clean every single Sunday. Where the seats may fill up with people who may come in with the smell of alcohol on their breast, sin, disappointment, but they leave filled with hope, forgiveness, and a future. I want to be that church where the unexpected, the ones the world feel like they have finally made it home. This is the home. Because church, that is the greatest gift for the greatest gift. And that's who we are called to reach. The second layer I want us to unwrap is the message came with good news. Luke 2.10 tells us, and the angel said to them, Behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. For those of you that have ever been in sales, you know that the better the product is, the easier it is to talk people into buying the product. Now please don't take what I'm about to say out of context, but lean into the truth here. When something is good, you don't have to force people to talk about it. When something is life changing, you don't have to twist their arms. When something is too good to be true and yet is completely true, people will naturally share about it. Church, the gospel is not bad news disguised as good news. It is good news wrapped in great joy. That's what scripture tells us about it. So what is this? Let me tell you something. This here is the good news. This is not a burden. is not disguised news. It is good news wrapped in great joy. This is not a burden. This is not a guilt trip. This isn't an obligation. This is the greatest gift ever given to man. And the angel, I want you to know something, did not whisper it. He declared it. The angel did not come saying, try harder, clean up first. God might love you if. No. He came saying, fear not. I have good news. Notice what kind of news it is. It's not mild news. The angel said it's good news. Because when heaven speaks, I'm telling you joy follows. When God steps in, fear steps out. When Christ arrives, hopelessness has no choice but to leave. That word joy in the Greek, and I'm going to butcher this, I'm so sorry, I'm not a Greek philosopher, but is chara. It is the same root used for grace, meaning joy is the echo of grace. And this is a great news for the church today that strives to be a great commission church. We are not inviting people to bad news or boring news or religious news even though sometimes we wrap it up that way. We are inviting them into good news that brings great joy. But here's the reality of this. If we really believe this is good news, it should sound like good news when we share it. Christians talk about Jesus like they're handing out expired coupons. Here, hey, I don't know, you might want this, probably not, but I got something for you just in case. Friends, no wonder people are not moved. Listen, the gospel deserves more excitement than clearance rack energy. Our attitudes should match the level of joy that we have received from Christ. If you are running low on joy, friend, that it means you need to get alone with God and ask Him for a fresh and filling. I promise you He will give it to you. Listen, nobody here is like this, but some Christians look like they were baptized in vinegar and filled with the spirit of lemon juice. If whatever you've got made you look that miserable, you can keep it all for yourself. I don't want no part of it. If your face says suffering, don't expect people to believe that your Jesus brings great joy. The message we've been given isn't just good news. It is the absolute, unmatched, unrivaled, undefeated, greatest news humanity has ever heard. Are you starting to get this? I keep repeating myself here because I really want you to catch this. So hear me. We don't just believe this news. We don't just carry this news. Our entire body should radiate this news. In other words, we need to act like it. How do we act like it? Let me give it to you plainly. Number one, the good news should change Change Our Countenance. When the angels appear, the first words out of their mouth was not try harder, but fear not. The good news lifts your face before it leaves your lips. If the gospel has not reached your expression, then it probably hasn't reached your expectation. In other words, when you expect the gospel to be ordinary, then you will act ordinary. But when you expect the gospel to be life-changing, transforming, then you will act like something has changed. It has. If you truly expect Jesus to be your hope, your peace, your help, your Savior, your breakthrough, your answer, your freedom, your joy, then your expression on your face will naturally reflect that expectation. Second, good news should change our confidence. I want you to notice the shepherds didn't just hear this message. They hurried to see Jesus. When you really believe something is good, you will move towards it. And another thing, you will move others with you to it. Because you want others to experience it. Third, good news should change your conversation. Luke 2.17 says, They made known what had been told them about this child. In other words, listen to me, they didn't need a theology degree or even a pulpit. They simply shared what they saw. and what they heard. Friends, I'm telling you, sharing the gospel is not complicated. I want to dismantle some lies of the enemy for just a second that he has planted within your spirit. If God can use shepherds who were considered the bottom of society, if God can use men who didn't have influence, education, or credibility, I am telling you, he absolutely can use you to share the greatest news that the world has ever heard. proved this with one of the most unlikely evangelists in scripture. The woman at the well. John 4 28. Here's what it says. I'm going to summarize here a little bit. The woman left her water jar and said to the people, come see a man. She left her water jar because once she tasted living water from Jesus, that old container did not matter to her anymore. She ran back to the same people who avoided her because good news should Never be kept quiet. Friends, I'm telling you the only thing you need to share the gospel is a story. And listen, if Jesus saved you, rescued you, forgave you, and changed your life, you've got a story to tell. Number four, good news should change your conduct. I want you to notice something. Luke chapter 2 verse 20 tells us that the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God. Meaning, Their walk back to the field didn't look like their walk away from it When they left the field, they were just ordinary shepherds doing an ordinary job But when they returned, they were worshippers, they were witnesses, and they were transformed Now listen to me, the fields did not change The sheep did not change, they were still there Their problems did not change, their circumstances did not automatically magically improve Their social status did not get upgraded The same problems they had before waited for them in the same place that they left them when they went to go see Jesus. But they changed. Because when you encounter Jesus, your situation may stay the same, but your spirit does not. Let me preach here for just a second. A true encounter with Jesus will always impact your walk, your worship, and your response to life struggles. You see, some people say they've met Jesus, but nothing about them ever shifts. If you say you've met the Savior, but your attitude has not changed, your conduct has not changed, your priorities have not changed, friends, something is off. Let me put this plainly. The world shouldn't have to guess if we've met Jesus. It should be real obvious. If they have to guess if you're a follower of Jesus Christ, Houston, we have a problem. Now church, here's where this gets real for us today. They didn't just hear the message. They didn't even just stop at celebrating the news. They also responded to it. And that brings us to the third layer of this Christmas story. The message calls us to respond. Luke 2.15 says, Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. This, to me, is one of the greatest overlooked miracles in the Christmas story. I want you to notice this. The angel nowhere in this passage ever told them they needed to pack up and go to Bethlehem. The shepherds chose all on their own to go. Something inside them said, we can't stay here where we are. Not after what we just heard and witnessed. What does that tell us? The shepherds understood something that many churches in America today, I fear, have forgotten. God's agenda is always greater than our agenda. Get this. They were in the middle of their work night, watching sheep, fulfilling their responsibilities, doing what they had always done. But the moment heaven spoke, their priorities began to shift. They left their sheep because they realized that the great shepherd had arrived on the scene. They stepped out of what was comfortable because they knew God was calling them into something eternal. They walked away from the ordinary because the extraordinary was waiting for them in a manger. Can I get real with you for If this happened today in the modern day western church, maybe I'm wrong, but I have a feeling that some of us would respond a little differently than the way that the shepherds did. Here's what I envision. Wow! What a great powerful moment. Let's take a picture and post about it on Instagram. Man, that was amazing. I can't wait to tell people about this right after I get done eating my lunch. Or we'll get around to seeing this Jesus in the manger when life slows down a little bit. And can I tell you something? Let me give you a little newsflash. It never slows down. Maybe after the holidays, after the chaos settles, after things get a little bit easier. Now let me go ahead and I want to park this thought a little closer to your address. When was the last time you slowed down long enough to pray, Lord, disrupt my routine if you have to? my priorities. Lead me to the person who needs you desperately today. You see, the truth is most believers don't miss God because they are rebellious. They miss Him because they're simply too busy with other things that they think take priority. Can I tell you what I think? If the shepherds ran to Jesus that first Christmas, then I believe the church should run people to Jesus this Christmas. Why? We should not sit in here and worship the Savior on Sunday and ignore the lost on Monday. We can't gather around the manger and forget about the ones that are still walking around in darkness. We can't celebrate the birth of hope while letting hopelessness sit untouched all around us. Friends, when you look at that baby sitting in that manger each Christmas, it should awaken something inside of you that says, I refuse to allow this season to be reduced to shopping lists, light shows, and schedules. while people around may slip into eternity without hope. Hear me. None of those things are wrong. But if we spend more effort wrapping presents than we do unwrapping the gospel for someone who's lost, then we have missed the whole point of Christmas. Let me remind you why. Jesus kept every promise He ever made. He came as He said He would. He walked among us. He revealed the Father. He crushed sin, death, hell, and the grave just as He said He was going to from the very beginning. He rose on the third day. He completed His mission. And church, now it's time for the church to honor Him by completing the mission that He's given to us. He's not failing. He did not fail us. He did what He promised He would do. Luke 2.17 says, They made known the saying that has been told to them. We need to understand something. The shepherds didn't just meet Jesus. They made Jesus known. Isn't it interesting that the first evangelists of the New Testament were not priests, not prophets, not kings, but they were shepherds who simply could not keep the greatest gift to themselves. And I need to say something strong here because I love all of you. Too many Christians today. Treat Jesus like a seasonal decoration. We take him out at Christmas, we pack him away by New Year's, and we hope that he'll come back in style next December. But I have news for you. The king who came for you deserves more than seasonal faith. There was a man in England years ago named Charlie Peace. He was a violent criminal that was hated by many and he was feared by everyone that knew his name. One day the police finally caught him and he was tried. Sentenced and he was placed on death row. The morning of his execution officials came to walk him from a cell to the gallows. And as was tradition an Anglican priest walked beside him reading from a small religious book that focused on Now here's the thing. That priest was reading those words like he was reading the ingredients on a shampoo bottle. Monotone, unmoved, unshaken, unbothered. He was just going through the motions doing what he had been there and what he was asked to do. And then out of the blue, right there in that cold hallway leading to Charlie's execution, Charlie stopped walking. He turned to that priest. He was minutes away from stepping in eternity and he said this, Sir, do you really believe that what you're saying to me? And that priest was startled and he said, well, of course I do. Then Charlie, a criminal, a condemned man, a man that the world counted out, said words that brought more conviction than a thousand sermons probably ever could. Here's what he said, Sir, if I believed what you say you believe, And if I believed that even one soul would go to hell, I would crawl across England on my hands and knees over broken glass just to tell one person how to escape it. Church, a man on the way to the gallows had more urgency than the man carrying the gospel. A man about to be executed believed the message more earnestly than the minister that was assigned to him. to proclaim it. Friends, God gave the world the greatest gift. And now the world needs the greatest gift from us. An invitation to meet Him. The greatest gift God ever gave was His Son. The greatest gift we can give Him is someone giving their life to that Son because we cared enough to invite them. This right here is a little device and you all have one in your pockets. It's called a cell phone. This is one of the greatest evangelism tools that God has ever put in our hands. The difference between someone spending Christmas in darkness and meeting the light of the world could be one text message away. One phone call. One invite. One moment of courage where you decide you're not going to allow the enemy to steal your voice and keep you from spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ found in the gospel. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of allowing I'm allowing Satan to speak into my mind and tell me what to do. Maybe I'm a little bit of a rebel. I don't fit into a box. I never have. But I'm going to tell you something. This Christmas I'm bold. In 2 Corinthians 5 20 Paul tells us that we are Christ's ambassadors. Meaning that God makes his appeal through you. Heaven has chosen your voice, your invitation, your story to reach someone. The greatest gift God ever gave was His Son. The greatest gift we can give Him is a soul brought to Him because we dared to open our mouths this Christmas. Church, listen to me with your whole heart. Every single person you know is someone that Jesus died for. Every seat in this sanctuary is a story waiting to be rewritten. Every invite card sitting in the lobby is not It is a lifeline for someone that is lost. It's an open door to eternity. And this Christmas we have a great opportunity. People who were closed off to the idea of church all year suddenly begin to crack open and soften around Christmas. Don't ask me why. All I can tell you is I've always found this to be the case. Going all the way back to Easter Sunday this year, we pushed and we invited and we had over 900 people here in the service. And I'm going to tell you something. That was absolutely incredible. And we celebrate what God did with that day. But hear me, this Christmas we are not taking a step back. We are taking a step forward. Pastor Tom is praying and the staff is believing this Christmas we will surpass our Easter attendance. We're not doing it for bragging rights, not for numbers sake, not for hype, but because every number is a name, every number is a And every soul is a story that Jesus desperately wants to redeem. So here's what we've done. Hopefully next Sunday if they don't get delayed in transit you will find invitations scattered throughout our lobby. Now listen to me. These are not decorations for your Christmas tree. They're not souvenirs to be hung up on your refrigerator and be pretty to look at. They are weapons in a spiritual war and seeds in a spiritual harvest. That's what they're designed for. I want every single person, now Pastor Tom may change this next Sunday, so follow his instructions, but this is just what are my thoughts. I want every single person to walk out next Sunday with at least three invitations. One for a family member, one for a co-worker or friend, and one for a neighbor. But here's what I know. Some of you, because I'm praying this way, some of you are going to feel led to take more. Some of you are sitting next to an empty seat right now, and to put it plainly, I'm not okay with that. I don't know if you're comfortable with that. I don't know if that bothers you or not. Listen, I would love it to where there was no elbow room in this church. Wouldn't bother me one bit. Maybe it would bother you and get into your comfort zone a little bit, but I'd love to see this house filled. And I think God wants it to be filled. I don't believe he gave us nearly 800 seats in this auditorium to sit empty every Sunday. Maybe I'm wrong. I don't think he did that. is to encourage you to understand that God can use you. You don't have to preach a sermon. You don't have to quote the Greek or Hebrew. You don't need a theological degree. All you need is a story, some courage, and an invitation. And heaven will take it from there. This Christmas, I don't want us just to celebrate Him. I want us to bring someone to meet Him. This morning as we close in worship, can I ask you to do something Will you pray either in your seat or come to the altar and ask God to bring it begin to soften the hearts of every single person that he wants you to share the gospel with because I don't know about you but I personally believe in the power of prayer and I believe God's faithful and if we pray it and I know it's his will if we pray in accordance with his will and there's what 300 250 300 people here this morning agreeing together in prayer. I'm going to tell you something. There is no telling what God's going to do. What if revival broke out this Christmas? There's nothing impossible for my God. Will we join in prayer and worship?
