Preach an effective Christmas message

Editor’s Note: The following article originally appeared in the Fall 2021 issue of Southwestern News.

Preaching an effective Christmas message is a challenging assignment. How do we begin to do justice to the mysterious wonder of God becoming flesh as a baby born in Bethlehem? Consider the following suggestions in anticipation of this Christmas:

1. Capture the true wonder of Christmas. Set it in the total context of the drama of redemption. In her children’s book, One Wintry Night, Ruth Bell Graham did this admirably, noting that the story of the first Christmas in Bethlehem was part of a larger story that spanned back before time was and that would extend to when time was no more. Treat the snapshot (birth in Bethlehem) in light of the total album (drama of redemption in the Bible).

2. Avoid allegorical and sentimental approaches. Christmas messages that focus exclusively on the “sweet, precious baby in the manger” are inadequate and irresponsible. Like the flood account of Genesis, the Christmas story contains elements of God’s mercy and provision coupled with His holiness and judgment. It’s a story of God’s supernatural provision of Himself as Immanuel. At the same time, Scripture indicates that this Immanuel was born to be our Savior—one who would die as our substitute in order to deliver us from judgment.

3. Explore less familiar texts. Tackle texts like Micah 5:2-5, which contains the prophecy related to Bethlehem and asserts the coming of the One who will be great to the “ends of the earth.” Consider also Zechariah’s Benedictus in Luke 1:67-79. In this passage, Zechariah refers to Jesus as the “Horn of Salvation,” and in doing so refers not to a musical instrument, but to an animal’s appendages that are offensive weapons.

4. Connect the cradle and the cross. While Jesus entered this world as an infant in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth, called disciples to follow Him, healed the sick and fed the poor, the author of Hebrews asserts that He was born in order to die (2:14-15).

5. Intensify exposition of the wonder of the incarnation. Remind hearers that the Word did indeed become flesh. Help them grasp in some measure the reality of the Almighty as an infant of inches. Don’t allow them to think of the infancy of Jesus without pressing on their minds and hearts the deity of Jesus.

Merry Christmas and preach the Word.

Matthew McKellar serves as professor of preaching at Southwestern Seminary.