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A Christmas List for Family and Friends
by Steve May
Text: 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Topic: How to connect with the people in your life around Christmas
Big Idea: The first step in celebrating a simple Christmas is to connect on a deeper level with the people in your life.
Keywords: Christmas; Relationships; Love; Fulfillment
Introduction:
- If you want to get the most out of this Christmas, then forget (for awhile) what you need to buy and what you need to do, and spend some time focusing on the people you will be seeing during the holidays.
- Big Idea: The first step in celebrating a simple Christmas is to connect on a deeper level with the people in your life.
Make a list of the most important people in your life.
- Thank God for bringing them into your life.
- Tell them how much they mean to you.
- 1 Thessalonians 3:9
- If you want to establish a deeper connection with the people you love, make an effort to express your appreciation.
Make a list of intangible gifts you can give to each one.
- 1 Thessalonians 3:10
- Ask yourself, “What does this person need most? What can I say to them? What can I do for them? How can I give them a lift?”
- Illustration: May tells how much he appreciates a friend who collects jokes for him, not because of the jokes, but because this friend thinks of May every time he hears a joke.
- Illustration: May tells the story of an African teacher whose student walks miles to get her a gift and says, “The long walk was part of the gift,” illustrating again the meaning intangible gifts contain.
Make a wish list for each one, and share that list with them and with God.
- I use the term “wish list” because it is, after all, Christmas. What I really mean is a prayer list.
- 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13
- Illustration: To illustrate how much it means to hear someone else wish well for you, May tells the story of a boy who tried out for a play and who longed for his pessimistic mother just to say, “I hope you get the part.”
- The greatest gift you can give anyone is to pray for them.
- If you’ll take the time to pray for the people in your life, you’ll strengthen that person and you’ll strengthen your relationship to that person.
Conclusion:
- How you relate to the important people in your life will determine what kind of Christmas you have.
- If you want to have a great Christmas—if you want to go beyond all the holiday hype and experience the joy of a simple Christmas—then make an effort to connect on a deeper level with the people you love.
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