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7 Points for Preaching a Christmas Sermon
When it comes to preaching at Christmas, here are some things to consider for a proper Christmas or Advent sermon.
Christmas truly is the most wonderful time of the year. The lights, decorations, food, gifts, family time, and gospel doctrine make it a special time of year.
There are many moving pieces and items calling for a preacher’s attention during the Christmas season. You may have more visitors than usual, and with that, you may be tempted to do something different than the normal practice of exposition. Don’t do that. I want to implore you to ramp up your exposition. Let it rip. Give your hearers the high-octane hope of the incarnation of the Son of God. Don’t fall into the temptation to entertain and gain a crowd. Fall on your face over the awesome privilege to exalt and proclaim the newborn King. When it comes to preaching at Christmas, here are some things to consider for a proper Christmas or Advent sermon.
1. Preach it Biblically
Grab a text, stay in the text, explain the text—and preach Christ from the text. This may seem like an obvious point, but it’s not. I’ve heard too many Christmasy sermons that began with a verse but then meandered around Christian themes and bland proclamations of hope, joy, and peace. Brothers, preach a text. Preach the old story from the beginning of Matthew or Luke, a prophecy from Isaiah or Malachi, Genesis 3, or a startling text on the reason the Son of God appeared—“to serve” and “give himself as ransom for many” (Mark 10:45), “bringing salvation for all people” (Titus 2:11), “to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9:26), “to take away sins” (1 John 3:5), and “to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).
2. Preach it Historically
The eternal Son of God was really born in Bethlehem. Herod, a Roman registration, lineage of David—these are all real data points in the divine orchestration of the birth of the Messiah. The birth of Jesus of Nazareth literally split human history in half—before and after his birth. Preach it that way. Christmas is not a myth or fanciful story. It’s as real as it gets, and therefore, ever relevant to everyone’s life. Preach Christmas as history.
3. Preach it Boldly
It’s never time to hold back the truths of Scripture. And in this cultural climate, people are actually open to hearing about the miraculous and supernatural. So, in your Christmas messages, boldly proclaim the truth of the virgin birth and why it matters for us sinners. Invite people to ponder the power of the Son of God crossing the spacetime continuum to become truly human so that he could be our substitute at the cross. Point out the angels, the star, and the awesomeness of “God with us.” Give people the opportunity to gaze at the grandeur and glory of God, and to consider why God did all of this anyway.
4. Preach it Theologically
Christmas is chock-full of theology. It’s unavoidable in a faithful Christmas sermon. While some preachers may overlook, minimize, or be bored with the wondrous doctrines surrounding Christmas, let me encourage you to preach robust Christian theology clearly and doxologically. Tell people about the deity of Jesus Christ—he is not God Junior or Diet God, but truly God. Tell your hearers about the humanity of Jesus Christ—he is not half man and half God, he is not human-like, but he is truly human, like us, but without sin. Explain why his name is Jesus, why “Christ” isn’t his last name, and why Jesus is also the “Lord.” And as you explain points of theology, do it carefully. Avoid the classic theological errors preachers make this time of year. The Father did not come to earth; the Son did. The Father didn’t die on the cross; his Son, Jesus Christ, did. Theology, when done right, will always lead to doxology. Right words about God foster the right worship of God. We need more awe in our sermons, not less.
5. Preach the Spirituality
Please don’t preach a Christmas sermon that’s about warm fuzzies and generic words about overcoming the darkness in your life or making resolutions for the new year. Give people the gospel truth of Christmas. Be clear and specific about the spiritual importance of Christmas. Jesus, very God of very God, became a human and was born of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit to save us from sin and its effects. He put on a body to redeem our bodies and make us new. He is the light of the world who has overcome the darkness of sin. From Jesus, we receive “grace upon grace” (John 1:16). Christ the Lord gives us new life today. And he also gives us everlasting life in him and with him. Show Christians the spiritual delights that come with the reign of the Prince of Peace.
6. Preach it Evangelistically
The miracles and theology of the incarnation lead us directly to the good news of Christmas, the gospel. Emmanuel, “God with us,” is incredibly good news. It means God is merciful and ready to save, forgive, and redeem. Don’t miss the opportunity to call people to believe in Christ, to put their faith, hope, and trust in the One who was born for sinners so he could be crucified and raised for sinners. A Christmas sermon without the gospel being presented evangelistically would be a travesty. It’s literally the point of Christmas. He came to save us sinners. Take your announcement pattern from the angels who proclaimed, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).
7. Preach it Joyfully
Christmas sermons should have a defining mark of joy. We are proclaiming one of the most incredible truths in the universe—God in flesh! The eternal Son of God, while sustaining the universe, was condensed into Mary’s womb. Wonder of wonders! The birth and arrival of Christ fulfilled prophesies and centuries of waiting for the Messiah. He is our hope, our peace, and our deliverance. Christmas ought to lead us to say, like Mary, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47). For Christ really did come to earth and save us! Model the joy of Christmas in your life and ministry. Are you rejoicing? If you want to preach with joy, make sure you are enjoying Christ this Christmas. Find fresh joy in what Jesus has done for you, and then you’ll be able to joyfully preach the joyous news of the incarnation.
