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92 - The Problem Of Preaching At Christmas
Manage episode 385338380 series 3321737
Preaching a compelling Christmas message is a challenging assignment. How can we stay fresh year after year? Let me offer a few suggestions.
1. Capture the true wonder of Christmas. Set it in the total context of the drama of redemption.
2. Avoid allegorical and sentimental approaches. Christmas messages focusing exclusively on the “sweet, precious baby in the manger” are inadequate and irresponsible. Like the flood account of Genesis, the Christmas story is a story of God’s supernatural provision of Himself as Immanuel. At the same time, Scripture indicates that Immanuel was born to be our Savior, who would die as our substitute to deliver us from judgment.
3. Explore less familiar texts. Tackle texts like Micah 5:2-5 contain the prophecy related to Bethlehem and assert the coming of the One who will be great to the “ends of the earth.” Consider also Zechariah’s Benedictus in Luke 1:67-79. In this passage, Zechariah refers to Jesus as the “Horn of Salvation,” referring not to a musical instrument but to an animal’s offensive weapons—horns.
The following Bible passages make excellent preaching texts.
Old Testament
Numbers 24:15–17
Isaiah 11:1–10
Psalm 2
Isaiah 40:1–11
Psalm 8
Ezekiel 34:22–24
Isaiah 9:1–7 (esp. v. 6)
Micah 5:2
New Testament
Matthew 1:18–25
John 1:1–4
Matthew 2:1–11
John 1:1–14
Matthew 2:13–23
2 Corinthians 8:9
Luke 1:5–25
2 Corinthians 9:15
Luke 1:26–38
Galatians 4:4–6
Luke 1:39–45
Philippians 2:1–8
Luke 1:46–56
Colossians 1:15–20
Luke 1:57–66
1 Timothy 1:15
Luke 1:67–80
1 Timothy 3:16
Luke 2:1–7
Hebrews 2:14–18
Luke 2:1–20
Hebrews 4:14–16
Luke 2:21
Hebrews 10:5–7
Luke 2:22–3
Join financial expert Ralph Estep, Jr - Daily tips for balancing your faith and finances.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Subscribe to this podcast. Leave us a review. Point your friends to this podcast.
Contact me at: alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
If you would like some Preaching Matters Podcast merch, you can support the show while advertising for the show.
Podcast T-Shirt: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1477329809/podcast-logo-preacher-gift-sermon-notes?click_key=10bfd3485c9c310cd30c1ea506644847488583b2%3A1477329809&click_sum=c33942ee&external=1&rec_type=ss&ref=landingpage_similar_listing_top-1&frs=1
Podcast Mug: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1468678138/coffee-mug-the-preaching-matters-podcast?click_key=372978b5d3b54393df102deea8e8e4a635954690%3A1468678138&click_sum=7538cce4&external=1&rec_type=ss&ref=landingpage_similar_listing_top-8&frs=1
Chapters
1. 92 - The Problem Of Preaching At Christmas (00:00:00)
2. [Ad] Ask Ralph - Christian Finance (00:18:33)
3. (Cont.) 92 - The Problem Of Preaching At Christmas (00:19:21)
137 episodes
Manage episode 385338380 series 3321737
Preaching a compelling Christmas message is a challenging assignment. How can we stay fresh year after year? Let me offer a few suggestions.
1. Capture the true wonder of Christmas. Set it in the total context of the drama of redemption.
2. Avoid allegorical and sentimental approaches. Christmas messages focusing exclusively on the “sweet, precious baby in the manger” are inadequate and irresponsible. Like the flood account of Genesis, the Christmas story is a story of God’s supernatural provision of Himself as Immanuel. At the same time, Scripture indicates that Immanuel was born to be our Savior, who would die as our substitute to deliver us from judgment.
3. Explore less familiar texts. Tackle texts like Micah 5:2-5 contain the prophecy related to Bethlehem and assert the coming of the One who will be great to the “ends of the earth.” Consider also Zechariah’s Benedictus in Luke 1:67-79. In this passage, Zechariah refers to Jesus as the “Horn of Salvation,” referring not to a musical instrument but to an animal’s offensive weapons—horns.
The following Bible passages make excellent preaching texts.
Old Testament
Numbers 24:15–17
Isaiah 11:1–10
Psalm 2
Isaiah 40:1–11
Psalm 8
Ezekiel 34:22–24
Isaiah 9:1–7 (esp. v. 6)
Micah 5:2
New Testament
Matthew 1:18–25
John 1:1–4
Matthew 2:1–11
John 1:1–14
Matthew 2:13–23
2 Corinthians 8:9
Luke 1:5–25
2 Corinthians 9:15
Luke 1:26–38
Galatians 4:4–6
Luke 1:39–45
Philippians 2:1–8
Luke 1:46–56
Colossians 1:15–20
Luke 1:57–66
1 Timothy 1:15
Luke 1:67–80
1 Timothy 3:16
Luke 2:1–7
Hebrews 2:14–18
Luke 2:1–20
Hebrews 4:14–16
Luke 2:21
Hebrews 10:5–7
Luke 2:22–3
Join financial expert Ralph Estep, Jr - Daily tips for balancing your faith and finances.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Subscribe to this podcast. Leave us a review. Point your friends to this podcast.
Contact me at: alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
If you would like some Preaching Matters Podcast merch, you can support the show while advertising for the show.
Podcast T-Shirt: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1477329809/podcast-logo-preacher-gift-sermon-notes?click_key=10bfd3485c9c310cd30c1ea506644847488583b2%3A1477329809&click_sum=c33942ee&external=1&rec_type=ss&ref=landingpage_similar_listing_top-1&frs=1
Podcast Mug: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1468678138/coffee-mug-the-preaching-matters-podcast?click_key=372978b5d3b54393df102deea8e8e4a635954690%3A1468678138&click_sum=7538cce4&external=1&rec_type=ss&ref=landingpage_similar_listing_top-8&frs=1
Chapters
1. 92 - The Problem Of Preaching At Christmas (00:00:00)
2. [Ad] Ask Ralph - Christian Finance (00:18:33)
3. (Cont.) 92 - The Problem Of Preaching At Christmas (00:19:21)
137 episodes
All episodes
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