OpenTheo

Pastor, Don't Get Cute this Christmas

Life and Books and Everything — Clearly Reformed
00:00
00:00

Pastor, Don't Get Cute this Christmas

December 14, 2022
Life and Books and Everything
Life and Books and EverythingClearly Reformed

Kevin reads from his article in The Gospel Coalition to encourage pastors to forego the cliche and cute and stick to preaching "the old, old story" this Christmas.

Share

Transcript

[Music]
Today I want to read a short article posted before, posting it again for this Christmas. It's aimed particularly at pastors, hopefully something here maybe would be helpful. It's entitled "Pastor, Don't Get Cute this Christmas." I know the feeling, Christmas comes around every year, the same songs, the same text, the same story.
Most of the time I love the familiar rhythm of Advent and the comforting routine of tradition, but as a pastor I also know that sense of desperation. How many more Christmas sermons in holiday homilies can I possibly come up with? And I rarely do a full four-week Advent series. The poor brother who does an Advent series every year for 40 years is going to preach 160 sermons on Christmas.
I sympathize with the temptation to novelty, but don't do it, pastor. Don't get cute at Christmas. Your people need regular meat and potatoes, not the newest eggnog recipe.
Stay away from props and video clips. Put to death the Star Wars tie-in you've been really excited about or Mandalorian or whatever's out there right now.
Don't worry about preaching the same truths and the same themes, do it.
They don't remember last year sermon anyways. You hardly remember it.
Go ahead and tell them the old old story one more time.
That means the Christmas Eve service should not be about the evils of shopping or the dangers of busyness.
We can leave behind clever cliches like wise men still seek him or have yourself a merry M.A.R.Y. Christmas. There's no need to focus for 40 minutes on what exactly was the Star of Bethlehem.
If you're going to talk about the Magi, don't make it an academic lecture on Persian astrology.
Let's spare our people the usual harangue about how Protestants have ignored Mary for too long, even though I've heard that sermon and read those articles every year since I was a kid, so maybe we're not really ignoring her. Let's not get caught up in the dating of Christmas or debunking all the supposed parallels with Mithras.
Look, there's a time and a place for all of that. I've written on some of those things. I've talked about some of those things.
So it's not a waste of time, but when you come to that Christmas Eve service or that Christmas morning service, let's make sure we're keeping the main thing, the main thing. There will be unbelievers at your Christmas Eve service. There will be struggling saints, weary souls, wayward sinners, stragglers who have ventured into a church for the first time in a very long time.
They need to hear about Jesus, about the Word made flesh, about the only begotten Son from the Father, about the one who fulfilled ancient prophecy, about the one who came to save his people from their sins. Dear pastor, and I'm reminding myself as much as I'm reminding you, our people don't need us to find something new. They don't need empty spiritual bromides.
They don't need us to brandish our cultural bonafy days at Christmas. Our people need the gospel. They need the Trinity.
They need to hear about the miracle and the majesty and the mystery of the incarnation.
But, hunker down in Matthew 1 or Luke 2 or Isaiah 9 or Micah 5 or John 1 or in any text that will lead you to lift high the name of Jesus. Don't be cute or clever.
Just preach Christ. Your people will be glad you did. And looking back, years later, so will you.
[Music]

More From Life and Books and Everything

The Promise of Christmas
The Promise of Christmas
Life and Books and Everything
December 23, 2022
In this episode of Life and Books and Everything, Kevin reads from his recent article in WORLD opinions about the curse in the garden, the hope and pr
John Witherspoon: President and Patriot
John Witherspoon: President and Patriot
Life and Books and Everything
December 29, 2022
A Princeton University president, teacher, preacher, politician, Declaration of Independence signatory, and a slave owner. As an early American patrio
A New Goal for the New Year
A New Goal for the New Year
Life and Books and Everything
January 4, 2023
There are many worthwhile battles to fight in life. The most important, most necessary, and most dangerous is the war we must wage against sin, flesh,
Christmas, Best Books, and Renewing Evangelicalism with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
Christmas, Best Books, and Renewing Evangelicalism with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
Life and Books and Everything
December 13, 2022
The gang is back for one last episode in 2022. There is the usual sports banter (very brief), and some good natured ribbing toward Justin, who seems t
A Dust-up among the Historians
A Dust-up among the Historians
Life and Books and Everything
December 9, 2022
For as much as the CFH talks about inclusion and the free exchange of ideas, it is clear that the present leadership of the historical guild assumes c
What is Conservatism? with Daniel McCarthy
What is Conservatism? with Daniel McCarthy
Life and Books and Everything
December 7, 2022
Several months ago, Daniel McCarthy—editor of Modern Age and Editor-at-Large of The American Conservative—published an essay in First Things entitled
More From "Life and Books and Everything"

More on OpenTheo

Michael Egnor and Denyse O'Leary: The Immortal Mind
Michael Egnor and Denyse O'Leary: The Immortal Mind
Knight & Rose Show
May 31, 2025
Wintery Knight and Desert Rose interview Dr. Michael Egnor and Denyse O'Leary about their new book "The Immortal Mind". They discuss how scientific ev
Why Does It Seem Like God Hates Some and Favors Others?
Why Does It Seem Like God Hates Some and Favors Others?
#STRask
April 28, 2025
Questions about whether the fact that some people go through intense difficulties and suffering indicates that God hates some and favors others, and w
The Biblical View of Abortion with Tom Pennington
The Biblical View of Abortion with Tom Pennington
Life and Books and Everything
May 5, 2025
What does the Bible say about life in the womb? When does life begin? What about personhood? What has the church taught about abortion over the centur
Douglas Groothuis: Morality as Evidence for God
Douglas Groothuis: Morality as Evidence for God
Knight & Rose Show
March 22, 2025
Wintery Knight and Desert Rose welcome Douglas Groothuis to discuss morality. Is morality objective or subjective? Can atheists rationally ground huma
What Discernment Skills Should We Develop to Make Sure We’re Getting Wise Answers from AI?
What Discernment Skills Should We Develop to Make Sure We’re Getting Wise Answers from AI?
#STRask
April 3, 2025
Questions about what discernment skills we should develop to make sure we’re getting wise answers from AI, and how to overcome confirmation bias when
What Questions Should I Ask Someone Who Believes in a Higher Power?
What Questions Should I Ask Someone Who Believes in a Higher Power?
#STRask
May 26, 2025
Questions about what to ask someone who believes merely in a “higher power,” how to make a case for the existence of the afterlife, and whether or not
If People Could Be Saved Before Jesus, Why Was It Necessary for Him to Come?
If People Could Be Saved Before Jesus, Why Was It Necessary for Him to Come?
#STRask
March 24, 2025
Questions about why it was necessary for Jesus to come if people could already be justified by faith apart from works, and what the point of the Old C
What Should I Teach My Students About Worldviews?
What Should I Teach My Students About Worldviews?
#STRask
June 2, 2025
Question about how to go about teaching students about worldviews, what a worldview is, how to identify one, how to show that the Christian worldview
Is There a Reference Guide to Teach Me the Vocabulary of Apologetics?
Is There a Reference Guide to Teach Me the Vocabulary of Apologetics?
#STRask
May 1, 2025
Questions about a resource for learning the vocabulary of apologetics, whether to pursue a PhD or another master’s degree, whether to earn a degree in
Licona vs. Shapiro: Is Belief in the Resurrection Justified?
Licona vs. Shapiro: Is Belief in the Resurrection Justified?
Risen Jesus
April 30, 2025
In this episode, Dr. Mike Licona and Dr. Lawrence Shapiro debate the justifiability of believing Jesus was raised from the dead. Dr. Shapiro appeals t
Is Pornography Really Wrong?
Is Pornography Really Wrong?
#STRask
March 20, 2025
Questions about whether or not pornography is really wrong and whether or not AI-generated pornography is a sin since AI women are not real women.  
How Is Prophecy About the Messiah Recognized?
How Is Prophecy About the Messiah Recognized?
#STRask
May 19, 2025
Questions about how to recognize prophecies about the Messiah in the Old Testament and whether or not Paul is just making Scripture say what he wants
The Resurrection - Argument from Personal Incredulity or Methodological Naturalism - Licona vs. Dillahunty - Part 1
The Resurrection - Argument from Personal Incredulity or Methodological Naturalism - Licona vs. Dillahunty - Part 1
Risen Jesus
March 19, 2025
In this episode, Dr. Licona provides a positive case for the resurrection of Jesus at the 2017 [UN]Apologetic Conference in Austin, Texas. He bases hi
Licona vs. Fales: A Debate in 4 Parts – Part One: Can Historians Investigate Miracle Claims?
Licona vs. Fales: A Debate in 4 Parts – Part One: Can Historians Investigate Miracle Claims?
Risen Jesus
May 28, 2025
In this episode, we join a 2014 debate between Dr. Mike Licona and atheist philosopher Dr. Evan Fales on whether Jesus rose from the dead. In this fir
Licona vs. Fales: A Debate in 4 Parts – Part Two: Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?
Licona vs. Fales: A Debate in 4 Parts – Part Two: Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?
Risen Jesus
June 4, 2025
The following episode is part two of the debate between atheist philosopher Dr. Evan Fales and Dr. Mike Licona in 2014 at the University of St. Thoman