Login / Signup

Free Access

Pentecost Sale - Save $131!

The Reason for the Season

Stories
Harry looked out the window and sighed as he watched the snow falling outside. He looked over his shoulder and noticed Agnes wasn’t paying attention to him, so he sighed louder.

“Something the matter?” Agnes asked looking up from the computer screen.

“Nothing in particular.” He turned his attention back to the snowfall. “Sorry to bother you.”

“Oh, okay.” she went back to reading the screen in front of her.

He watched outside for a few more minutes. “I listened to the news.”

“Oh?” she looked up again. “And?”

“I was just thinking about what I heard.”

Agnes waited for a moment and when Harry didn’t say anything she focused on the screen again.

Harry sighed again. “It’s just that the news is so bleak.”

Agnes looked at her husband. “I thought you said things are getting better.”

“I guess they are.” Harry went back to looking out the window.

Agnes watched him for a few moments and turned off her screen. “So, what is bothering you?”

Harry turned around to face her and furrowed his brow. “Why would you say something is bothering me?”

“We’ve been married for forty years.” Agnes rolled her eyes. “I know when something is bothering you. What’s the trouble?”

 “I thought things were getting better. There was such optimism just a few months ago. People were back out and around and things were looking up. Truth is that life was going back to normal and then...” Harry shrugged. “Now it seems like we are caught up in another period of worry and fear.”

“Are you talking about the tensions between nations, the climate crisis, the health crisis, or the economy?”

“All of them I guess.” Harry frowned. “I thought we’d have something good to celebrate this Christmas.”

“Are you worried that we won’t be able to have family home this year like that other year?”

Harry shook his head. “No, I know that John and Sue are coming home. Beth might make it too.”

“So, are you worried we won’t have enough money to feed them when they arrive?”

“What are you talking about? We have money put aside for the holidays, don’t we?”

“We certainly do.” Agnes paused. “So, are we going to put up decorations, go to church or any of the other things we do to celebrate the season?”

“Of course, we’ll do all those things.” He shrugged. “It just feels like there is a shadow over the world this year with all the troubles and predictions of worse to come.”

Agnes considered her husband for a moment. “How long have we known each other?”

“More than fifty years I think.” He tilted his head. “What has that got to do with it?”

“How many of those years was the world calm and everything good at Christmas?”

Harry opened his mouth and then closed it. He thought for a few minutes before answering. “None of them I guess.”

“That’s my recollection too.” She smiled. “Why do we celebrate Christmas?”

“We remember the birth of Jesus and what God does for us through the Savior.” Harry tapped his chin. “Which I guess is something to celebrate no matter what is happening in the world.”

“Actually, it is something to celebrate because of what is happening in the world.“ Agnes took a deep breath. “We celebrate because God’s love is greater, God’s grace is stronger, and God’s mercy never ends. Which means that when Jesus is born, we know, we believe, we trust that God will bring salvation and new life. That is why we celebrate and share joy and hope at Christmas.”

Harry stared at her and then smiled. “I guess you’re right. Even though things are bad in the world, God’s promise in Jesus still shines through.”

“Absolutely.”

“So, what you are saying is that no matter what is happening in the world we have a reason for joy and we will feel joy because of Jesus.” Harry held up a hand before she could speak. “Let me rephrase that. We feel joy because of Jesus who is God’s answer to us in our world of need and suffering.”

Agnes nodded. “There is nothing wrong with listening to the news and being concerned about events and indeed we should do things to help others and make the world a better place. But we should never forget that God is greater than our worries and fears and brings us joy in Jesus.”

“I like the way you put things. You explain them so it is easy to understand.” Harry smiled. “How do you do that?”

“I’ve had lots of practice, my dear,” Agnes shook her head and turned her screen back on. “I’ve had lots of practice.”


*****************************************

StoryShare, December 12, 2021 issue.

Copyright 2021 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.

All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 10 | OT 15 | Pentecost 5
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 11 | OT 16 | Pentecost 6
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 12 | OT 17 | Pentecost 7
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
For July 27, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A card with Luke’s short version of the Lord’s Prayer to give to each child. Make your own card or use the one I have attached to this message.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Great! Let’s hear the story. But I want to begin by asking you a question.

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
Luke frowned at the email he was writing. He moved a couple of words around and then hit the save button. He ran the email though the grammar checker and spell checker again. He took a deep breath and then started reading through it one more time. After he finished, he noticed the time. He had to send it soon or it would be too late for there to be a response before the deadline. He sighed and sat back in his chair. He wished he wasn’t so nervous.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Hosea 1:2-10 and Psalm 85
I came across an interesting fact about how the state of Ohio deals with sealing and expunging a court record. The process for filing a court file and expunging a criminal record are combined into the same thing. If granted, the request seals the record forever, and officials are not allowed to discuss the person’s past criminal record.
David Coffin
Another mass shooting appears on the television “Breaking News!” Many people have lost count of the number of school or concert shootings in the recent years in the USA. Usually prominent are comments such as, “We hold these families up in prayer,” and “more mental health is needed.” People who work both in spiritual care and mental health have heard this all before.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

The Church of Christ

Creation

The communion of saints


These responses may be used:


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.


God, the centre of my being,

When I think of you, praise spills from my lips. I wish I always acted as though you were my centre, for then perhaps your kingdom would be known here.

SermonStudio

James Evans
(See Advent 2, Cycle B, for an alternative approach to vv. 1-2 and 8-13.)

In 1988, Southern Baptists held their annual convention in San Antonio, Texas. It was a contentious meeting, as factions within the denomination vied for control of the various agencies and boards. Throughout the week, angry words were spoken across the aisle as various resolutions and officer elections revealed the deep schism growing within the group.

Michael D. Wuchter
He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial."
-- Luke 11:1-4

One of the disciples said to Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray."

Lee Ann Dunlap
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall; Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't
put Humpty Dumpty together again.


This is a nursery rhyme we learned as children, and somewhere along the line in history class we were taught that its composer, "Mother Goose," was, in fact, a political satirist. If we look between the lines of these playful rhymes we will find some kind of hidden message poking fun at royalty. (I guess you had to be there to get the joke.)
Kirk R. Webster
Do you have somebody in your world who seems to live his/her life daily on a treadmill of self-imposed rules, almost as Tarzan swings from one vine to another? These people swoop from one regulation to another rule, to another regulation, in an attempt to maintain control and safety in their lives. They travel by self-imposed boundaries that probably aren't necessary to a fulfilling life. Consider our 45-year-old suburbanite named Jim.
Julia Ross Strope
A single song is being inflected through all the colorations of the human choir.
The way to become human is to recognize the lineaments of God in all the wonderful modulations of the face [of humankind].
-- Joseph Campbell, The Hero With a Thousand Faces

Call To Worship (Leader)
We are in sanctuary -- together, removed from the world, secluded for a while.
We have brought with us our burdens and anxieties.
We've come here with our hopes and thanksgivings.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL