After twenty-six years of pastoring and thirty-two years of preaching, I can tell you that preaching is no problem at all—it’s practicing what you preach. This came home to me one day through the actions of a young lady. She transformed my preaching ministry.

Throughout the years I have seen many Christians who possessed a great passion to share their faith in courageous ways. They would seize every opportunity the Lord would bring across their paths to be faithful witnesses for Him. I embrace this same passion wholeheartedly! What a thrill it is to share God’s wonderful message of salvation with someone and then see that person make a personal decision to accept Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. That one decision changes his life and eternity forever!

Physiologically, a fresh calendar suggests a fresh start. But realistically, January 1 cannot obliterate the needs and burdens of December 31. What can you do practically to renew your soul for the new year?

If there is any aspect of Jesus Christ we should learn, it is His passion. What drove Him, and still motivates Him throughout eternity? Can we ponder: why would He leave that glorious realm of Heaven to come to this earth? Why humble Himself, take to Himself human flesh, and be willing to go to the cross?

In the Bible, although angels were used by God for a variety of purposes, the primary use was to deliver a message. In fact, the very word “angel” means “messenger.” Webster’s 1828 Dictionary further defines an angel as, “One employed to communicate news or information from one person to another at a distance.”

Don’t make the mistake of enjoying the wrapping of Christmas—activities, time with family, gift exchanges, traditions—without enjoying what is behind the wrapping—the gift. Quite simply, Jesus is the gift of Christmas. And, with Paul, we exclaim, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

I recently read a survey asking this question: “What makes your family great?” Among all the different answers, the most common was, “The time we spend together.” You cannot develop family memories if you are not spending time together! Evaluate your schedule, allow some spontaneous activity every now and then, and delight in the simple joy of being together!

Sermon outline: This is an abbreviated outline with the complete sermon downloadable at the bottom of the post. Luke 2:14 has been called the first Christmas poem. I don’t know that it was sung (verse 13 used the word “saying”), but it is certainly worthy of our attention. There we see the angels glorifying God at the birth of the Saviour. There is no envy present in their carol of praise, no tinge of jealousy, no desire for the attention that belongs to Christ and Him alone.

We were looking forward to getting back to our home in Indiana for the Christmas season. As an evangelist, I look forward to those times spent off the road with family and friends. Our last meeting was in northern Wisconsin the second week of December. Snow had already covered the ground, and temperatures were well below freezing. It was easy to get into the Christmas spirit.

Christmastime may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also pass in a flurry of frenzied activity, with no time to enjoy the significance of the season.