Various Scripture - White Christmas Series: Blue Christmas

I was given the opportunity to preach this morning…woo hoo!

White Christmas Series:  Blue Christmas

December 15, 2013

Last week Doc started the series “White Christmas” with the sermon entitled “Snow Globe”...it focused on the topic of forgiveness.  Today I want to share with you “Blue Christmas” with the topic of grief.  

Perhaps you feel like you are going to have a “Blue Christmas...

• change of family unit
• divorce
• children have left home
• death of a loved one
• Or if you don’t fall into any of these categories, look around and you will find a family member, neighbor or friend who does
• encourage them - cards, food, etc.
• spend time with them - invite them over, take them to the store, etc.

No matter where you are in life, the important way to get through a “Blue Christmas” is to focus on the true meaning of Christmas...Christ.

• He will be your source of comfort.
• He will be your hope.
• He will be your healing.

Three Reasons Why Focusing on the Meaning of Christmas Leads to Hope and Healing

#1  At Christmas, Jesus came to end all suffering.

God sees all our problems and He has promised to ultimately fix them.

• His plan was to bring Jesus to this earth, born in a lowly stable, in order to die for all of our sins.
• Because He died for us we have hope in eternity.
• Revelation 21:3-5 reads:  3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

One day we will no longer have to deal with disease, tragedy or suffering---there will no longer be death!  That’s a reason for hope and celebration!

#2 - At Christmas, Jesus came to deal with the source of our suffering

God isn’t going to just stop death, diseases, family issues, etc. but He is going to renew us.  

• When sin creeps into our lives, it brings bitterness, unforgiveness, unfaithfulness, selfishness.  
• These things effect our whole being.
• Our thinking...
• Our relationships...
• Our environment...
• Our health...
• Sin not only affects us in these areas but it also puts a barrier between us and the Lord.
• Sin can prevent us from having His Comfort and His Healing
• On that very first Christmas, Jesus came to offer us a way to remove that barrier and to be in full relationship with Him.

#3 - This Christmas the gift of Christ is available for you 

God offers us the gift of forgiveness and a new life when we receive Him.

Titus 3:5 reads...

he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

Ephesians 2:8-9 reads...

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

When we accept the gift of Christ, we are able to focus on the true meaning of Christmas.

• We can turn a “Blue Christmas” into a “White Christmas” by allowing Him to heal us, to give us hope, to comfort us..
• Will that bring our broken family back together?  Not necessarily but it will enable us to get through the holidays with a different perspective.
• When the children are at the other parent’s home instead of focusing on your own problems and situation, visit someone who is lonely or doesn’t have any family around.

• We can turn a “Blue Christmas” into a “White Christmas” by allowing Him to heal us, to give us hope, to comfort us..
• Will that bring an estranged child back into relationship with us?  Not necessarily but it will give us His Peace that He is working in the situation.
• “Adopt” a child for the holiday season.
• Doesn’t necessarily take money...giving of your time is the biggest gift you can give to a child who doesn’t have someone who does things with them in their life.

• We can turn a “Blue Christmas” into a “White Christmas” by allowing Him to heal us, to give us hope, to comfort us..
• Will that bring back a loved one that has passed?  No, but it will enable us to realize we have the Lord’s strength during the tough times.
• Cherish the memories...talk about your loved one...
• In a recent grief support group I went to they said that sometimes the anticipation of the holiday is worse than the actual day.
• That’s what I found with Thanksgiving.  I woke up feeling very yucky...dreading the day...
• The day itself was a day of reminiscing and celebration.
• Yes, there were some tears from time to time but that’s part of the healing process.
• Another part of the healing process is allowing ourselves to let the emotions flow.  It is natural to cry when we have a loss...whether that loss is new or if it was from twenty years ago.
• Tears are one of God’s gifts to us.

1. Sometimes we don’t have words but the tears will flow.
2. Never apologize for them.
3. When the emotions flood in, God gives us a place to go where we can find peace and rest.

Psalm 23:1-3  The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

God is always there for us...to give us His healing...to give us His hope...to give us His comfort

God knows us inside and out; He knows what we struggle with; He knows our fears and feelings.  

• He never expects us to be anybody but ourselves.  
• We were created in His image and show His likeness as we walk with Him in our grief.  
• The closer we walk with Him, the more we will become like Him, moving in His peace and hope.

Psalm 73:23-26 (NIV)

23 

Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.

24 

You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will take me into glory.

25 

Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26 

My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart
    and my portion forever.

In order to get away from having a “Blue Christmas” we must be ourselves but we must allow Him to be our healing...our hope...our comfort.

• Everyone grieves differently.
• We can’t allow others to tell us how to grieve but rather we need to listen to the Lord for His direction.

A question I have for you who are grieving today...

Are you going to continue on the road to a “Blue Christmas” or are you willing to allow the Lord to heal you..to give you hope...to give you comfort?  

For those grieving...You are the only one who can take charge of your grief.

• Five steps to dealing with grief...

1. Accept the reality that your loved one is gone whether it be through divorce, children have left home or the death of a loved one
2. Express your emotion in healthy ways...talk, tears, share
3. Store the memories..move from the past to the present
4. Begin new traditions...your love for the departed in no way lessens by starting a new normal
5. Reinvest in life... realize the holidays will never be the same again.  God has you here on this earth for a reason.  Are you willing to be open to what that reason is?  Are you willing to discover what God is calling you to do?  Fulfilling your God-given purpose will honor God, your family, and your lost loved one and will give you a new perspective.

A question I have for those of you today who don’t fall into these categories...

Are you willing to share the Lord with someone who is in these circumstances?  Are you willing to be Jesus to someone who is hurting?

Before anyone can change their “Blue Christmas” into a “White Christmas” they first must be washed by His Blood and be cleansed white as snow.  

• Invitation to allow the Lord to cleanse and renew...to empower you to press forward to having a “White Christmas”
• Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV) Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.

He will be your source of comfort.  He will be your hope. He will be your healing.  Will you allow Him to be those to you today?