Outline for Christmas “First Person” Sermon

“A Fathers Tale”

 

  1. Meeting Mary in Galilee
  2. Betrothed – Engaged
  3. Found out Mary was with child (pregnant)
    1. ANGER – how COULD she?
    2. CONFUSION – I knew her better than this…she denies doing anything wrong???
    3. JEALOSY – Who WAS he?
  4. Wanted to divorce her – QUIETLY – 2 witnesses – no court
  5. VISIT from an angel
    1. Mary is pure
    2. Baby is from God by the Holy Spirit
  6. Trip to Bethlehem for census
    1. long hard trip for a VERY pregnant Mary
    2. City was full due to the Census
    3. Only space was in a barn –(THE SMELL)
    4. Baby was born and had a feeding trough for a bed (NOT how I pictured my new family beginning)
  7. Shepherd – They brought more livestock!! Led by a star after a visit by many angels
  8. Circumcised on the 8th day  --Named Him Jesus – Immanuel – God with us
  9. Trip to Jerusalem to present THE CHILD to the Lord at the Temple when He was about 5 weeks old

A.     blessed by Simeon who God had promised would see the Saviour before he died

  1. Returned to Jerusalem for childhood years. 
  2. Visit by Wise Men  Gold – Frankincense  -- Myrrh
  3. Warned in a dream about Herod’s true intent – Fled to Egypt-Africa
  4. Herod killed all males 2 years old and younger
  5. Herod dies
  6. Return to Nazareth
    1. Jesus grew  - pretty normal childhood – played ball and games -  did His chores,etc
    2. Trained as a carpenter
    3. ??What happened when He missed a nail??
  7. When He was 12 we went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover
    1. Jesus lingered in town
    2. When we left He stayed in town – we thought He was in the caravan
    3. WE WERE PANICKED!  We had journeyed an entire day and now we would have to travel back to look for Him.  OY was His mom mad.
    4. And how do you tell, the God of the universe that you lost His Son?
    5. We found Him in the Temple – teaching the Rabbi’s.  Mary was glad to find Him – but was still kinda mad. “WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS TO US?   YOU HAVE BEEN GONE FOR 3 DAYS!”
    6. He was in His Father’s house – so I guess God knew where He was.e wsaaWas
  8. I died before Jesus began His earthly ministry and although He tried to teach us about Grace and God and His mission here on earth and although I had faith to believe in Him and God I really didn’t understand the true picture of forgiveness – until I saw Jesus again at the right hand of God in Heaven holding out His nail scarred hands to me and say, “Well done My good and faithful servant – enter now into your rest”
  9. – then I understood.
  10. I was blessed by being Jesus’ caretaker – to grow with Him.  Would you like to meet Him?
  11. Today -  as you celebrate His birth – remember the rest of the story – the salvation, restoration and peace that God gave you through Jesus Christ.