The Faithful, The Faithless and the Joy of Christmas

Essential Church Podcast

The Faithful, The Faithless & the Joy of Christmas

Standalone

Essential Church

December 22, 2024

SUMMARY

1. The pastor has preached over 100 Christmas messages in his 30-year career, and he feels he has exhausted the material from the few biblical chapters about Christmas.
2. The pastor prefers preaching Easter messages because the entire New Testament and Old Testament point to the significance of Easter.
3. The pastor discusses the significance of myrrh, one of the gifts brought to the baby Jesus, as it was an embalming spice, foreshadowing Jesus' death and resurrection.
4. The pastor provides historical context about the political and religious landscape in Israel leading up to Jesus' birth, including the Maccabean Revolt and the rise of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
5. The pastor focuses on the encounter between Simeon and the baby Jesus, where Simeon recognizes Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah and Savior, even though Jesus was just a baby at the time.
6. Simeon's prophecy about Jesus being a "dividing line" and causing the "rising and falling of many" is discussed, highlighting how Jesus' coming would expose people's hearts and thoughts.
7. The pastor emphasizes the connection between Christmas and Easter, suggesting that the true meaning of Christmas is found in the foreshadowing of Jesus' death and resurrection.
8. The pastor encourages the audience to accept Jesus for who he is and what he has done, rather than hoping for something else.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. How does the pastor view the challenge of preaching Christmas messages year after year? What insights does he share about the familiarity of the Christmas story?
2. The pastor discusses the significance of the gifts given to Jesus, particularly myrrh. What symbolism or foreshadowing does he see in the myrrh being an embalming spice?
3. The pastor provides historical context about the political and religious tensions in Israel leading up to Jesus' birth. How does this background help us understand the expectations and perspectives of people like Simeon?
4. Simeon recognizes the baby Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. What does the pastor highlight about Simeon's faith and his understanding of Jesus' role as a "dividing line" for people?
5. The pastor suggests that Jesus' coming exposes people's hearts and thoughts. How does this relate to the idea of privacy and transparency that he discusses?
6. What is the core message the pastor wants to convey about the meaning of Christmas and how we should respond to Jesus?