christmas decoration declaration
DESCRIPTION
1st week of Advent 2010, Sermon in "Seasoning the Season" series, Tabernacle Baptist ChurchTRANSCRIPT
Decoration DeclarationsWhat do your decorations really say?
???
• Christmas is filled with opportunities for communication of the GOSPEL.
• What are my DECORATIONS really saying to those around me?
CHRISTmas?
• Decorations that OBSCURE the meaning of Christmas–Decorations that COVER UP
• Decorations, like make-up, should be done well not “layered up”
• Shine, sparkle, glitz, and glamour may be blinding us to the truth
• Are your decorations about having the right look or the right heart?
Cover Up
• Decorations that OBSCURE the meaning of Christmas–Decorations that COVER UP–Decorations that CROWD OUT
• There are a lot of Christmas voices that are decidedly NOT Christian– Frosty, Rudolph and Santa are not the
three wise men!
• Remove the distractions and dial in the message presentation
• Do you choose decorations that match your faith message?
Crowd Out
• Decorations that OBSCURE the meaning of Christmas–Decorations that COVER UP–Decorations that CROWD OUT–Decorations that FADE OUT
• Ornaments can become so “familiar” that they lose their importance
• “Of course it’s about Jesus” is not as obvious as you might think
• Is this an old, outdated message that is irrelevant to people in 2010?
Fade Out
• Decorations that DECLARE the meaning of Christmas–Decorations that SPEAK UP
• Refuse to let Christmas go by as “just another day” on the calendar
• Engage joyfully in holiday decoration and preparations – celebrate!
• Choose appropriate decorations that point to Jesus Christ
Speak Up
• Decorations that DECLARE the meaning of Christmas–Decorations that SPEAK UP–Decorations that SPEAK OUT
• Refuse to be silenced by those who demand “tolerance” or “inclusive”
• Buy up the opportunities to speak – using “BRIDGES” to the gospel
Speak Out
• Decorations that DECLARE the meaning of Christmas–Decorations that SPEAK UP–Decorations that SPEAK OUT–Decorations that SPEAK TRUTH
• Do not miss the chance to talk with people about theology
• Speak the truth in love, remembering your Christmas’s without Christ
• Talk about something that really matters at Christmas time– Include truth in your
decorations
Speak Truth
Scoring
• How would you rate your decorations?– A “1” being beautiful but hollow– A “10” being meaningful and
focused
• How would your neighbors score your display of faith?
1 1 1 11
needs more “salt”
1010
10 1010
well-seasoned, tasty