Matt Woodley

Have you ever had one of those "wake up at midnight and completely junk and then rewrite your sermon" moments? It doesn't happen often for me, but I had one last Christmas. My text was John 1:1-18 and I had a nice, neat little outline and big idea. But then at midnight on Sunday morning I had a startling thought: this text is really about a global Christmas and Christ's invitation into world mission. That's not a typical theme for Christmas, but I knew it was the message God was laying on my heart for my people. So I spent an hour scratching out a barebones outline for my overhauled sermon now titled "Have Yourself a Global Little Christmas." It wasn't my finest sermon ever, but I'm glad I preached it because I think sometimes our messages make Christmas too small and narrow, too focused on ourselves and our cozy family settings.

Ryan Welsh

Speaking of making Christmas too small, do you ever suffer from "Willful Seasonal Amnesia"? It afflicts preachers who, like Ricky Bobby (played by Will Ferrell) in the comedy Talladega Nights, tend to overemphasize the "tiny, infant Jesus," the "8 pound- 6 ounce-newborn infant Jesus" rather than the Jesus who came to die and rise again and reign over the nations. Check out Ryan's article for some tips to overcome our seasonal amnesia.

Also, check out these new resources:

• Featured Illustration: Woman Donates Wedding Ring to Salvation Army
• Featured Video: Simple Christmas: What would happen if we did less for Christmas and made more room for the real meaning of Christmas?
• Featured Sermon: "Have Yourself a Global Little Christmas" by Matt Woodley
• Featured Skills Article: "Willful Season Amnesia" by Ryan Welsh

Matt Woodley
Editor, PreachingToday.com
mwoodley@christianitytoday.com

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Matt Woodley is the pastor of compassion ministries at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois.