Seasoning the Season Christmas Advent Sermons

I knew when Pastor asked me if I was especially busy for the next couple of weeks that I should have told him that, in fact, I was busier than a Cranberry Agent. Now, I am busier than a Cranberry Agent, but, without thinking, instead of telling him that I said, “Why, what’s up?” Welllll, what “was up” was that he was looking for someone to do some research for him and he was kind of trying to sneak in through the back door, so to speak. Before I knew what was happening, he had me on the Internet looking for Christmas Sermon Ideas. 

Oh, he was slick! He started out by telling me how hard it is at times to find Topical Sermons for Advent. Then he told me that we need to locate an Advent Sermon Series fairly soon, because, as he adroitly pointed out, “Christmas is just around the corner.” Then he snuck in the fact that I am an Elder of the church, and that he highly respects my judgment. I knew right then I was in trouble – – when he alludes to the fact that I am highly respected he figures he has me nibbling at the bait and he is getting ready to set the hook. Before I could think up an excuse that would allow me to wiggle away, he smiled and dealt me the death blow when he said, “Elder, I know you’ll do a good job.”

I didn’t mind him grinning, but when he snickered as he walked away I figured that not only had I been had, but that he was enjoying the fact that he was the instigator of the “haddin’.” Resolving myself to the fact that he had won, I solaced myself with the verse that advises us to never grow weary of doing good, and made my way to the ol’ lap top to see what I could come up with.

I realized that I needed to be looking for something special for this December Sermon Series, and decided that I would concentrate on searching for something that would allow this year’s Seasonal Advent Celebration to focus on Christ during Christmas. You can’t imagine how thrilled I was when I came across SEASONING THE SEASON: Bringing out the Flavor of Christ in Christmas Traditions. Geared to far more than just helping us remember that “Jesus is the Reason for the Season,” this Sermon Series encourages people to focus on Christ in the very traditions that have become part of our celebration of Christmas: Decorating our homes, exchanging Christmas greetings, giving and receiving gifts, gathering with family and friends, and entering the new year by setting goals. What I found to be down right intriguing was the fact that the series, rather than being based on the traditional “Christmas texts” as found in Matthew and Luke are actually taken from the epistles!

Comprised of a Seven Part Series, the Sermon Themes encourage the congregation to:

  • Grace Your Home with More Than Decorations
  • Greet Others with Expressions of God’s Love
  • Give with the Generosity of Christ
  • Gather Together with Jesus Near
  • Glorify God in His House and Your Heart
  • Gratefully Receive What You’ve Given
  • Go for Godly Goals

As well as the subject matter, I was impressed with how in-depth the material you receive is. There is a resourceful Pastor’s Manual that includes complete sermon manuscripts you can use, or rework; alternative sermon notes and illustrations and quotations. As well as all the sermon aids, there are Worship Ideas and December Devotional Calendars that can be distributed to the congregation. To learn more about this wonderful Sermon Series, go to http://sundaysolutions.com/seasoning-the-season.html I would suggest you don’t delay, for as Pastor so adroitly pointed out, “Christmas is just around the corner!”

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS

Making Christmas Meaningful Advent Sermons

I am learning, as a result of “volunteering” (actually – I was asked by my Pastor!) to “assist” in the search for Christmas Sermon Ideas (actually – he turned the whole project over to me!) that those Pastors who have been in the ministry for a number of years, especially those with an extended term of service at the same church, have a real challenge in coming up with fresh Topical Sermons for Christmas. A long time member of, and elder for, my church, I accepted the responsibility with immense fervor – – until I discovered that locating an Advent Sermon Series was a whole lot more difficult than I thought it would be!

Resorting to prayer (why is it we always seem to allow ourselves to fail before we go to our Heavenly Father for help?), I almost immediately had my prayer answered when God led me to a Sermon Series entitled MAKING CHRISTMAS MEANINGFUL: Transform Trivial Pursuits into Memorable Celebrations. I think the phrase that most caught my eye was, “For many of us, the Christmas Season and celebration associated with it is a mile wide and an inch deep.” Wow! My wife and I had been discussing that very sentiment since late August. By then, stores were already exhausting us with just the thought of all the gifts we had to buy, parties to prepare for, decorating to do and cards to buy and address. Everyone, it seems, is in the same boat every year – – and yet, at the end of the holiday season, most people feel that they again missed the mark where Christmas is concerned. That’s why this December Sermon Series excited me so much – – it promises to promote memorable celebrations that reach into the very depth of our souls!!

The Series consists of Five Sermon Themes, all of which will encourage the congregation to make Christmas meaningful when they:

  • Follow the true star of Christmas
  • Honor the stable-born king
  • Celebrate heaven’s gift to all nations
  • Quiet your heart for the magnificent message
  • Embrace God’s Christmas salvation

A complete Christmas Sermon Series by the scope of what it entails, the “package” includes a Resourceful Pastor’s Manual (200 pages in a 3-ring binder) that has complete sermon manuscripts which you can use “as is” or rework to meet your own style, and illustrations and quotations that give you more than enough material to choose from if you prefer to prepare your own message. Not only that, it has Worship Ideas; Devotionals for Pastors; December Devotional Calendars for the congregation and an Implementation Guide for your Advent Administrator.

To find out more about this truly enthralling series, call toll-free at 1-800-224-2735 or visit http://sundaysolutions.com/making-christmas-meaningful.html. I’m sure you will be as excited as I am about this wonderful Christmas Sermon Series!

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS

The Amazing Emmanuel Advent Sermon Series

There are, during the course of the year, several Topical Sermons that Pastors are expected to deliver. As we near the Holiday Season, my Pastor asked me to help him with the quest for some Christmas Sermon Ideas. A creative person by nature, I jotted down a quick list and gave it to him, only to discover that in the past eight years that he has been at our church he had already spoken on all five that I came up with. Somewhat daunted but not dismayed, I accepted the request as a challenge and decided to see what I could come up with!

During my quest I discovered a most intriguing Advent Sermon Series entitled, THE AMAZING EMMANUEL: Discover What True Hero Worship is All About. This turned out to be a seven part Sermon Series that deals with Jesus, the Amazing Emmanuel, as a Superhero who, unlike most we grew up with in comics and on TV, is not imaginary but really was born, and really did perform superhuman feats. The grandfather of seven, I was intrigued by the concept of discussing Superheroes, so I researched the series a little more.

This Christmas Sermon Series consists of Seven Sermon Themes:

  • Thank God for a Hero Too Wonderful for Words
  • Discover What True Hero Worship is Like
  • Learn How to Share Your Superhero Stories
  • Keep Alive the Tale of the Wonder Child’s Birth
  • Experience Your Hero’s Super Power
  • Watch the Sky for Your Superhero’s Return

Further research revealed that the Series comes with a Resourceful Pastor’s Manual, which includes Christmas Preaching helps, Worship Ideas and Devotionals for the Pastor. It also comes with a December Devotions Calendar that can be distributed to help the congregation keep their heart attuned and Christ-focused during the holiday season. this devotional tool also helps people to remember what was preached on the weekend, as they go back into similar Scriptures and thoughts on the same subject throughout the week.

Needless to say, I forwarded the following “address” to Pastor so he can check it out, and I hope you will do so as well http://sundaysolutions.com/amazing-emmanuel.html

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS

A “How-To” Example for Your Topical Sermons

Your preaching text is 1 Corinthians 10:13. It’s a well-known church sermon verse. “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up to it.”

Your preaching subject is “Repeat Temptations.” By that you mean temptations that prove troublesome time and again.

The response you are calling for from your people is for them to stand up and know victory in such encounters.

The problem is that many of them don’t seem to know how to do this. So what are some possible “how-to’s” you might suggest in your Sunday sermons?

Here are four examples:

  1. Realize that the outcome of most spiritual battles is determined within the first minute. The longer you listen to the enemy, the more likely it is you will lose.
  2. So be like Jesus when the devil tempted Him. Quickly lock your mind onto what you know God would have you do. Then determine in your mind that this will be your course of action.
  3. Take time to carefully write out the rewards that come from righteousness and the damages that result from sin. Go over this list regularly so you can instantly refer to it when it’s needed.
  4. Establish an accountability relationship with a close Christian friend. You don’t have to say what the temptation is that repeatedly troubles you. But you can let this person know how you are doing in terms of wins and losses.

These are the kind of helpful specifics that need to be included in your topical sermons.

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS