Post 260

December 2013!

Playing carols with my bro.

At the Kris Kringle Market

Levi and Charity

Asa's first Chrismas!

Our church put together two Christmas Concerts. One at Pine Ridge Villas of Shelby, and one at Martha T. Berry

The guys singing "We Three Kings"

William Carriger's piano solo

Mr. Heyworth's stirring rendition of "O Holy Night"

The message that I preached for the Christmas Concert. The Little Drummer Boy is a fictional story, but I believe it has some powerful truths...

The Little Drummer Boy

1. POOR

The little drummer boy was poor in many areas. He was poor in money, position, age, and talents. Like the drummer boy, each of us is poor in many areas. But most of all, we are all poor in righteousness.

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

You may be poor in money, position, age, talents, and righteousness. But, no matter how "poor" you are, GOD LOVES YOU!

2. NO FITTING GIFT

The little drummer boy had no gift to bring that was fit to give the king. Because he was so poor, he didn't have any kingly gifts like gold, frankincence, or myrrh. Just like the drummer boy, in ourselves, we have no gift that's fit to give King Jesus.

Isaiah 64:6a But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.

3. HIS GIFT

The little drummer boy then realized he DID have a gift to bring. It was a God-given gift. He could play his drum very faithfully. So, he played his very best for Jesus.

Jesus made Himself poor in money, position, age, talents, and righteousness, He made Himself poor in every area that we may be rich.

2 Corinthians 5:21 - For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Philippians 3:9 - And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.

We can be made righteous through faith in Jesus!

Then, just like the little drummer boy, each of us has a gift: a God-given gift. Not a gift to keep to ourselves, but a gift to bring! What gift has God given you, that you can give back to Him?

4. JESUS SMILED

When the little drummer boy played his drum, baby Jesus smiled at him. I love to make a baby smile. How much more wonderful would it be to make baby Jesus smile! What a joy it will be to see Jesus smile at me in heaven one day, and to hear Him say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant!"

You may think your gift is small. You may think it's unimportant. You may think you don't have too much to offer. But Jesus thinks it's big. Jesus thinks your part is important. Jesus knows that what you offer is most precious.

INVITATION

If you know that you need to be saved. I’m gonna ask you to, by faith, do that now.

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Simply cry out from your heart, "Lord Jesus save me from my sins!"

Maybe you know that you are saved and you need to give your best to the Lord. "For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living" (Mark 12:44). When the little drummer boy played his best for the little king, Jesus smiled at him. Give your best!