Christmas is such a powerful thing that the very word brings to mind many other words: joy, gifts, trees, lights, and maybe even eggnog. Today, let the word Christmas call forth from you another word: miracle. Does that word conjure up images of the waters of the Red Sea parting or Jesus turning water into wine? Good, those are miracles. But they’re nothing compared to the Miracle we celebrate tonight. In fact, those miracles are only possible because of the Miracle of Christmas. We’re glad you’re with us and pray for God to bless your time celebrating the miracle of Christmas.
This Advent we've been asking God to prepare us to celebrate the Miracle of Christmas by teaching us through miracles that led up to Christmas. This weekend it's the miracle of a snake on a pole in Numbers 21. It's one of the more difficult to understand miracles. But Jesus helps us out by referring to it during this ministry. We’re glad you’re with us to better understand the deadly disease that's killing us and the miraculous healing Christmas provides. We need it. It works.
What have you endured that made you question God's promises? Or his plan? Or even his love for you? If you haven't been there yet, hold on. You will be. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego must have had the same questions when they were being thrown into a fiery furnace (Daniel 3). Today we gather to better appreciate their extraordinary response, “Even if the Lord doesn’t rescue us, we'll still worship him.” Miraculously, God was with them in the fire. And, God is with you. Let the Spirit convince you, even in your fiery furnace, you are more than what meets the eye because of the Miracle of Christmas.
How would you respond if someone asked you, “Are you a Christian?” If your answer is, “Well, I’m trying,” you really don’t understand what it is to be a Christian. That’s not meant to alarm anyone as much as it’s meant to make us hunger for the truth about the way God works. The children of Israel witnessed a miracle of crossing over, but so have you. We’re glad your with us today to delight in it and worship God for it.