Christmas and Thanksgiving Resource Index

Written by Craig Webb, Editor

To assist you in your work during the holidays, we have compiled an index of model sermon series, individual model sermons, bible study aids, articles, and worship tools. If you want great sermons, worship readings, children's sermons, and help with everything worship, be sure to get your own copy of Let's Worship magazine.

Christmas | Advent | Thanksgiving

Complimentary Downloads:

Christmas Sermon Series:

Series title: "The Isaiah Oracles" - Four Christmas season messages by Lloyd Stilley

• The Sign of the Savior, Isaiah 7
• The Character of the Savior, Isaiah 9
• The Mission of the Savior, Isaiah 61
• The Triumph of the Savior, Isaiah 11

Series title: "God's Missionary Heart."

• Joy to the World, Isaiah 9
• Unhappy Holidays at Christmas? Revelation 12
• The Angels Announce the Good News, Luke 1
• The Days After Christmas and A New Year, Colossians 1

Sermons from Andy Cook "Searching for Christmas"

• The King that Missed Christmas, Matthew 2
• The Leaders Who Missed Christmas, Luke 2
• How Bethlehem Missed Christmas, Luke 2, Matthew 1
• How Nazareth Missed Christmas, Mark 6

 You may also download a .zip file with manuscripts (RTF), images (JPG), and PowerPoint Template (700 kb).

 

The "Songs" of Christmas by Lloyd Stilley

Zechariah's Song, Benedictus, Luke 1
Mary's Song, The Magnificat, Luke 1
The Angels' Song, Gloria, Luke 2
Simeon's Song, Nunc Dimittis, Luke 2

The Adoption of Christmas by Andy Cook

The Adoption that Changed the World
The Traditions of a Godly Family
The Greatest Gift You’ll Ever Give

"The Adoption of Christmas," from Pastor Andy Cook focuses on Joseph’s story. Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, and yet it is clear he accepted the boy as his own. The parallels between Joseph’s adoption of Jesus – and God’s adoption of those who follow Jesus – are easy to trace.

4 Christmas Sermons from Steve Andrews:

Great Joy - Luke 2:10
Finding Favor - Luke 1:26-38
Simeon - Luke 2:21-35
Zechariah's Song- Luke 1:67-79

Individual Christmas Sermons:

• When Hope Comes True at Christmas Luke 2:36-39
  Deals with the Biblical character Anna by Pastor Jim Henry.
• Christmas Boxes - A Sermon Brief Luke 1:26-38  (42K - PDF)
• Living Christmas 24/7 (series of sermon starters)
• Discovering the Prince of Peace (evangelistic Christmas message)
• And They Were Amazed (Luke 2:8-18) 
  A sermon dealing with the Shepherds by Craig Loscalzo.

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• The Prayer of Wise Men (39K - PDF)
• A Christmas Shouting Litany (24K - PDF)
• The Colors of Christmas - A Christmas Celebration for Smaller Churches (44K - PDF)
• The Plot: A Different Look at an Old, Old Story 
• He Came (A Christmas Responsive Reading 13K - PDF) 
• A Christmas Without Christ (Script 13K - PDF) 
• You Gave Us Your Son (A Christmas Responsive Reading 10K - PDF) 
• Peace on Earth (Script 13K - PDF) 

Christmas Articles and Bible Study Helps:

• Fresh Ideas for Christmas, A Nativity-a-Day
• Christmas Traditions as Worship and Evangelism Tools
• Prophecy and Fulfillment of Jesus Birth  (One Page Chart 81K - PDF)
• 10 Ways to Maximize the Outreach Effectiveness of Your Church's Christmas Musicals
• 10 Questions for Christmas Gatherings
• Christmas Traditions Are Worth Cultivating
• Christmas Customs Around the World
• Tips for Making Christmas Parties an Outreach Tool
• A Christmas Devotional: A Man Named John 
  Devotion adapted from The Christ of Christmas by Calvin Miller (Broadman & Holman 2002).

You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to open, view, and print the links marked "PDF." 

 Advent

Advent means "coming." Advent has historically tied the First Advent (the coming of Christ in the manger at Bethlehem) to the Second Advent (the snatching away of the redeemed as seen in 1 Thess. 4:13-18 and the coming of Christ to the earth in Rev. 1:7, 19:11-16).

Advent is the beginning of the Church Year for most churches in the Western tradition. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which is the Sunday nearest November 30, and ends on Christmas Eve (Dec 24). If Christmas Eve is a Sunday, it is counted as the fourth Sunday of Advent, with Christmas Eve proper beginning at sundown.

This year (2009) the first Sunday of Advent is November 29 and Advent ends on Christmas' Eve, Thursday, December 24.

• November 29 - First Sunday of Advent
• December 06 - Second Sunday of Advent
• December 13 - Third Sunday of Advent
• December 20 - Fourth Sunday of Advent

For a good overview visit Advent: Celebrating the Coming of Christ.

For free downloads to help you celebrate Advent, visit our Tools for Celebrating Advent page.

Thanksgiving

Free Model Sermons:

• Thanksgiving Sermon, Offering Thanksgiving, Luke 17 (Lloyd Stilley) NEW
   
• Giving Thanks for Thanksgiving, 1 Chronicles 16
   
• Living with an Attitude of Gratitude, Psalm 100 (Calvin Wittman)
   
• Bless the Lord, O My Soul, Psalm 103 (Calvin Wittman)
   
• Masterful Thanksgiving (Steve Andrews)
   
• Thanksgiving in Three Tenses (Psalm 66)
   
• The Miracle of Thanksgiving - John 6 (Don Pucik)
   
• The Miracle of Thanksgiving - Luke 17 (Andy Cook)

Help for Thanksgiving-themed worship services

• A Thanksgiving Communion / Lord's Supper Celebration  (141 KB PDF)
   
• A Thanksgiving Service from 1 Chronicles 16  (83 KB PDF)

Miscellaneous Thanksgiving Articles:

• Fresh Ideas for Your Church Thanksgiving Celebrations
   
• Helping Your Congregation Give Thanks
• A Day of Thanks
• Andrea's First Thanksgiving
• Thanksgiving in Simpler Times
• Giving Thanks
• Thanks-Filled Activities
• Thanksgiving Facts
• Reasons to Give Thanks