December 24, 2023

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THE CHURCH OF CHRIST ON M 51 S

We welcome you to our worship services this morning. We hope that you will be encouraged and uplifted by our time together. We have no creed or set of rules to force on you. We simply rely on the Bible to tell us what to do and try to copy what we read the church in the first century did. We meet here every Sunday, but we also have Zoom available for those who are interested. Just ask and we will include you in our Zoom services. Call Karl Marcussen at 574-514-1400 for information.

FAMILY NEWS

SCHEDULE FOR END OF DECEMBER:NO CLASS TONIGHT: Since many of us have family in our homes for Christmas Day, and others are traveling to be with loved ones we do not plan to have our usual Sunday evening class. We do plan to have class as usual on Wednesday.

NEW YEARS: While we are on this general subject, we do plan to have normal activities next Sunday morning, but Sunday evening will be different. Plans are to have a potluck dinner Sunday evening at 5:00 P.M. followed by a devotional at 6:00 P.M. and then an evening of games and fellowship. Many of us do not like driving on New Year's Eve and will not stay to see the new year in. Come and enjoy the evening and leave whenever you want to.

We read in Luke 1:26-38:

In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” … “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.” … “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” … “I am the Lord's servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”

TODAY'S LESSON

What Is Christmas to You?
John Clayton

INTRODUCTION: Tomorrow is Christmas Day. What does that mean?

A. A day off? A day to celebrate financial success?
B. For many, the one day they “go to church.”
C. For Christians — to do what we should do all year.

I. CHRISTMAS IS A DAY TO “COUNT YOUR MANY BLESSINGS” — #118 in our songbook.

Psalm 143:5 — Think of the positives in your life.

II. CHRISTMAS IS A DAY TO ENJOY GIVING.

A. Acts 20:35 — It really IS more blessed to give.

Which is more fun, the office or grandkids?

B. Luke 6:38 — This is an observation, not a promise.

III. CHRISTMAS IS A DAY TO BE THANKFUL FOR THE GOOD THAT IS STILL IN THE WORLD.

A. Good news is always there for a Christian.
B. Matthew 5:9 — A role we should all play daily.
C. Luke 1:79 — What did Jesus come to do?
D. Luke 2:14 — This is what God offers.
E. Acts 2:47 — What did the first century church do?

IV. CHRISTMAS IS A DAY TO CELEBRATE THE RESULTS OF THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST.

A. Jesus gives purpose and direction to our lives.

B. Matthew 5-7 — What would the world be like if the teachings of these verses were followed universally?

1. What would “love your enemies” do?
2. What would “go the second mile” do?
3. What would not laying up treasure for us do?
4. What would forgiveness to all do?

C. What do we see going on in Michiana now?

1. Where is giving going on?
2. Where do we see food drives taking place?
3. Where do we see people helping people?

4. What goes on at school, in prisons, at work, etc., that does not happen at any other time of the year?

V. CHRISTMAS IS A DAY TO REMEMBER GOD’S PLAN FOR MANKIND.

The “Christmas Spirit” is alive and well.

THE BACK PAGE

LOOKING BACK AT 2023

There are two activities that are useful at this time of year. One of them is looking forward to the new year that is coming up soon, and planning for what we hope to do in the coming year. There area a lot of things we can do in 2024, and as we look towards 2024 next Sunday we need to share our hopes and dreams for the Lord’s work and our own personal role in it. We can also look back at the previous year and ask what we did right and what the Lord has accomplished through us in the previous year.

When I hear people moan and groan about what happened in the previous year I have to ask what they did to relieve what they are complaining about? On a national level there is a lot to complain about. Most of us are not personally involved in national politics, and I feel for those very few politicians that are honest and sacrificial in their service to this nation. Many of them have resigned their office mostly out of frustration with what is going on in our government.

For most of us however, there is very little we can do about the ills of our government. America is becoming more atheistic and secular at the national level, and while that affects us, we are pretty helpless to change it. Look at what we as a congregation accomplished in 2023.

Here are some of the things we have been able to do:

Feeding those who are needing help has increased massively in spite of the retreat of our government.

Helping those victimized by fire and social unrest has increased dramatically. Many coats have been given to people who have a need of help with basics.

Leading other Christians in the area has increased. Our sidewalk days work, our area-wide singing, our VBS and our work at Timbers and Shults-Lewis has influenced many Christians in the area in positive ways. We are now well into the “Backpack Buddies” program.

Praise God for blessing these efforts, and let us see how we “can do more in '24!”

Our sign by the street!

Being thankful is not in a day, but it is a lifestyle!

Sign saying from www.sayingsforchurchsigns.com.

Scripture links/references are from BibleGateway.com. Unhighlighted scriptures can be looked up at their website.