The Colors of Christmas: Six Sermons and Object Lessons for Advent and Christmas
Sermon
A Christmas Journey
A Collection of Resources for Advent and Christmas
Object:
Christmas Eve/Day
Children's Message
White
Good evening, boys and girls. Merry Christmas to each of you. Tonight, I have another ribbon for each of you. It's a special ribbon, tonight, and a special color, the color white. It's good to see many of you wearing your four, colored ribbons this evening. I have my four ribbons, too. Together, let's review the colors. The green one stands for life and growth. That's what Jesus gives each of us. The purple one reminds us that Jesus is -- what? The King of kings, that's right. And the red one? It helps us remember that Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins. Last Sunday, I gave you your blue ribbon. The blue one reminds us of many things. We think of heaven, the blue sky, the baby boy, Jesus, and also our baptism. Well, each of these ribbons has been but a prelude to the ribbon I'm giving you this evening. Let's ask the women of the choir to help you pin them on, as I share with you once more the story of Christmas.
Tonight and tomorrow, we celebrate the birth of Jesus. How many of you remember when you were born? We can't remember back that far, can we? But, how many of you have younger brothers or sisters? Okay. Do you recall how excited everyone was when they were born? Your parents were just as happy, just as thrilled when you were born! And you can imagine then, all the joy in earth and heaven when Jesus was born! The angels came from heaven to sing at Jesus' birth. The shepherds left their sheep to come and see this special Child of God. Mary wrapped Jesus in some cloths and probably put something that looks like this on Jesus. What is it? That's right, a diaper. Do you see why white is the perfect color for Christmas? Angels, sheep, diapers, but there's even more. White is the color of purity and holiness. It represents Jesus as the spotless Lamb of God. White also reminds us of the fluffy, white snow that blankets the ground almost every Christmas. It's as though God's purifying the whole earth through the coming of his holy Son, Jesus.
I'm sure you're excited about Christmas. I am, too. We all are. But, during all of the excitement, let's remember the purity, the holiness, the color of this season -- white. Jesus is the perfect Son of God. Let's celebrate his birthday together, singing his praises, just like the angels. We have one more color of Christmas, and I'll share that with you this Sunday. I'll see you then. Have a Merry Christmas!
Christmas Eve/Day Sermon
White, the Color of Purity and Holiness
Luke 2:1-20
Yesterday morning, amid the cold, the snow, and the blowing wind, I ventured down to the church to work on this Christmas message. I made two stops on the way -- one at the gas station to top off my gas tank. There I saw several cars being jumped, pushed, coaxed, and begged into running. I was very thankful that my key brought the engine to life. My other stop was at the grocery store to pick up a gallon of milk. The store was busy, crowded with people picking up those last-minute necessities for Christmas, and of course, just in case the weather worsened and we were all snowed in.
As I stood in line at the checkout, an older gentleman was talking to a friend. They were discussing the terrible weather, and the younger one remarked that this certainly had to be the worst Christmas weather he could remember. Well, such a remark, directed at the older gentleman, was bound to elicit the remark. "Well, I can remember a Christmas with weather even worse than this. When I was a boy, we had a Christmas even worse than this. We had a Christmas with a temperature of eighteen degrees below zero and six feet of snow. The wind was blowing and drifting the snow." He went on to describe a bitter, cold day, but one on which warmth and love was shared among family and friends.
This conversation prompted several thoughts in my mind as I considered this Christmas festival. First of all, though the weather outside is frightful, inside, with all of you, it's so delightful! Today, with our modern ways of heating our homes, our cars, our churches, we can live in relative comfort in spite of the weather. We have learned how to conquer, if not control, the environment. This Christmas, even if it is one of the coldest ever, can be one of the warmest because of the conveniences of our modern world. We are warm and comfortable in here (and those who could not get to church this morning need only listen to their radio and we will bring the Christmas Day service of St. Martin's Lutheran Church right into their homes).* The "good old days" have a lot of fond memories for many, but on a day like today, I'm thankful for our technological achievements. Thank you, good Lord!
Secondly, we've often heard the phrase, "Christmas is for children!" In many ways, that does seem true enough. Most of our best memories of Christmas are of those special Christmases when we were children. The beautiful gifts, the magnificent Christmas tree, those great "goodies" to eat, and that part we all had to memorize for the Sunday church school Christmas program are the things that pop into our heads when we think of Christmas. Those special times live again, anew each year as we decorate, wrap, and prepare ourselves for the holiday season. The Christmas of today will be for some of us, especially the youngsters, the glorious memory of Christmas tomorrow. Someday, when they are as old and wise as we adults, they will remark, "Why I remember a Christmas when it was bitter cold; few were able to get out, to come and worship; yet, it was perhaps the best Christmas ever!"
Finally, the third idea that popped into my mind is this: Where must we all be today? It's in Bethlehem, on another cold, winter day, when Mary, God's chosen handmaiden, gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger. Listen again, with me, to that old, old story of the greatest Christmas ever, Luke 2:1-20.
(Read the text.)
Christmas is Jesus' birthday. On Christmas, God touched the earth with his love, his forgiveness, his peace, his purity, and his holiness for all people. The color white is certainly that color. White snow, the white glow of candlelight on a child's face, the whiteness of angels' wings as they share good news of a great joy, the whiteness of the Lamb of God who comes to take away the sin of the world, the whiteness of a newborn baby's diaper. Purity and holiness in Christ our Lord.
Perhaps the man was right. Christmas is for children, for it was as a child that Jesus came and he tells us that we must come with childlike faith to understand his love and receive his blessing. And don't we all become children again at Christmas? Aren't we innocent and pure once more, looking forward and yet looking back to Christmases long ago -- and to the first Christmas long, long ago? In the spirit of God's love and the truth of Christmas, I'd like to close with the words of a simple Christmas poem, a special poem for this special day:
The Stable
In that little stable so long ago
There were no dazzling lights.
There was nothing to distract one's thoughts
From that precious, holy sight.
High above, the brilliant star
Was shining down from heaven.
And in the stillness of that moment
God's wondrous gift was given.
Shepherds came from near and far
Their hearts were filled with love
And watching o'er the little child
Were angels from above.
The three Wise Men bearing gifts
At last on him did gaze,
And as they looked in wonderment
Their lips were uttering praise.
So take a moment to recall
How this season did begin,
And make your heart a quiet stable
Where the Lord may enter in.
-- Unknown
May the peace, joy, the holiness and purity that is Christmas be yours, giving you comfort and confidence, for the new year! Merry Christmas, my friends!
Amen.
*Adapt for local use.
Children's Message
White
Good evening, boys and girls. Merry Christmas to each of you. Tonight, I have another ribbon for each of you. It's a special ribbon, tonight, and a special color, the color white. It's good to see many of you wearing your four, colored ribbons this evening. I have my four ribbons, too. Together, let's review the colors. The green one stands for life and growth. That's what Jesus gives each of us. The purple one reminds us that Jesus is -- what? The King of kings, that's right. And the red one? It helps us remember that Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins. Last Sunday, I gave you your blue ribbon. The blue one reminds us of many things. We think of heaven, the blue sky, the baby boy, Jesus, and also our baptism. Well, each of these ribbons has been but a prelude to the ribbon I'm giving you this evening. Let's ask the women of the choir to help you pin them on, as I share with you once more the story of Christmas.
Tonight and tomorrow, we celebrate the birth of Jesus. How many of you remember when you were born? We can't remember back that far, can we? But, how many of you have younger brothers or sisters? Okay. Do you recall how excited everyone was when they were born? Your parents were just as happy, just as thrilled when you were born! And you can imagine then, all the joy in earth and heaven when Jesus was born! The angels came from heaven to sing at Jesus' birth. The shepherds left their sheep to come and see this special Child of God. Mary wrapped Jesus in some cloths and probably put something that looks like this on Jesus. What is it? That's right, a diaper. Do you see why white is the perfect color for Christmas? Angels, sheep, diapers, but there's even more. White is the color of purity and holiness. It represents Jesus as the spotless Lamb of God. White also reminds us of the fluffy, white snow that blankets the ground almost every Christmas. It's as though God's purifying the whole earth through the coming of his holy Son, Jesus.
I'm sure you're excited about Christmas. I am, too. We all are. But, during all of the excitement, let's remember the purity, the holiness, the color of this season -- white. Jesus is the perfect Son of God. Let's celebrate his birthday together, singing his praises, just like the angels. We have one more color of Christmas, and I'll share that with you this Sunday. I'll see you then. Have a Merry Christmas!
Christmas Eve/Day Sermon
White, the Color of Purity and Holiness
Luke 2:1-20
Yesterday morning, amid the cold, the snow, and the blowing wind, I ventured down to the church to work on this Christmas message. I made two stops on the way -- one at the gas station to top off my gas tank. There I saw several cars being jumped, pushed, coaxed, and begged into running. I was very thankful that my key brought the engine to life. My other stop was at the grocery store to pick up a gallon of milk. The store was busy, crowded with people picking up those last-minute necessities for Christmas, and of course, just in case the weather worsened and we were all snowed in.
As I stood in line at the checkout, an older gentleman was talking to a friend. They were discussing the terrible weather, and the younger one remarked that this certainly had to be the worst Christmas weather he could remember. Well, such a remark, directed at the older gentleman, was bound to elicit the remark. "Well, I can remember a Christmas with weather even worse than this. When I was a boy, we had a Christmas even worse than this. We had a Christmas with a temperature of eighteen degrees below zero and six feet of snow. The wind was blowing and drifting the snow." He went on to describe a bitter, cold day, but one on which warmth and love was shared among family and friends.
This conversation prompted several thoughts in my mind as I considered this Christmas festival. First of all, though the weather outside is frightful, inside, with all of you, it's so delightful! Today, with our modern ways of heating our homes, our cars, our churches, we can live in relative comfort in spite of the weather. We have learned how to conquer, if not control, the environment. This Christmas, even if it is one of the coldest ever, can be one of the warmest because of the conveniences of our modern world. We are warm and comfortable in here (and those who could not get to church this morning need only listen to their radio and we will bring the Christmas Day service of St. Martin's Lutheran Church right into their homes).* The "good old days" have a lot of fond memories for many, but on a day like today, I'm thankful for our technological achievements. Thank you, good Lord!
Secondly, we've often heard the phrase, "Christmas is for children!" In many ways, that does seem true enough. Most of our best memories of Christmas are of those special Christmases when we were children. The beautiful gifts, the magnificent Christmas tree, those great "goodies" to eat, and that part we all had to memorize for the Sunday church school Christmas program are the things that pop into our heads when we think of Christmas. Those special times live again, anew each year as we decorate, wrap, and prepare ourselves for the holiday season. The Christmas of today will be for some of us, especially the youngsters, the glorious memory of Christmas tomorrow. Someday, when they are as old and wise as we adults, they will remark, "Why I remember a Christmas when it was bitter cold; few were able to get out, to come and worship; yet, it was perhaps the best Christmas ever!"
Finally, the third idea that popped into my mind is this: Where must we all be today? It's in Bethlehem, on another cold, winter day, when Mary, God's chosen handmaiden, gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger. Listen again, with me, to that old, old story of the greatest Christmas ever, Luke 2:1-20.
(Read the text.)
Christmas is Jesus' birthday. On Christmas, God touched the earth with his love, his forgiveness, his peace, his purity, and his holiness for all people. The color white is certainly that color. White snow, the white glow of candlelight on a child's face, the whiteness of angels' wings as they share good news of a great joy, the whiteness of the Lamb of God who comes to take away the sin of the world, the whiteness of a newborn baby's diaper. Purity and holiness in Christ our Lord.
Perhaps the man was right. Christmas is for children, for it was as a child that Jesus came and he tells us that we must come with childlike faith to understand his love and receive his blessing. And don't we all become children again at Christmas? Aren't we innocent and pure once more, looking forward and yet looking back to Christmases long ago -- and to the first Christmas long, long ago? In the spirit of God's love and the truth of Christmas, I'd like to close with the words of a simple Christmas poem, a special poem for this special day:
The Stable
In that little stable so long ago
There were no dazzling lights.
There was nothing to distract one's thoughts
From that precious, holy sight.
High above, the brilliant star
Was shining down from heaven.
And in the stillness of that moment
God's wondrous gift was given.
Shepherds came from near and far
Their hearts were filled with love
And watching o'er the little child
Were angels from above.
The three Wise Men bearing gifts
At last on him did gaze,
And as they looked in wonderment
Their lips were uttering praise.
So take a moment to recall
How this season did begin,
And make your heart a quiet stable
Where the Lord may enter in.
-- Unknown
May the peace, joy, the holiness and purity that is Christmas be yours, giving you comfort and confidence, for the new year! Merry Christmas, my friends!
Amen.
*Adapt for local use.
