Rediscovering the Joy and Meaning of Christmas

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: Rediscovering the Joy of Christmas**

**Bible Reading:**
- Matthew 1:23: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel," which is translated, "God with us."
- Isaiah 43:19: "Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand new."
- Psalm 103:12: "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."

**Observation Questions:**
1. What does the name "Emmanuel" mean, and why is it significant in the context of Christmas? [40:46]
2. How does the story of Ebenezer Scrooge illustrate the possibility of transformation and change? [36:08]
3. What are some common regrets people might experience during the Christmas season, as mentioned in the sermon? [42:34]
4. According to the sermon, what is the first step in dealing with our regrets? [42:34]

**Interpretation Questions:**
1. How does the concept of "God with us" change the way we view the challenges and stresses of the Christmas season? [40:46]
2. In what ways can acknowledging and surrendering our regrets lead to healing and transformation? [42:34]
3. How does the sermon suggest we can create new traditions that focus on the true essence of Christmas? [54:30]
4. What does it mean to "receive the Son" and how does this impact our lives according to the sermon? [56:08]

**Application Questions:**
1. Reflect on a past regret that often overshadows your joy during Christmas. How can you begin to surrender this regret to God this season? [42:34]
2. What are some practical ways you can focus on the presence of Christ in your life during this Advent season? [40:46]
3. Consider a tradition that has become stressful or burdensome. How might you modify or replace it to better reflect the joy and hope of Christmas? [54:30]
4. How can the story of Ebenezer Scrooge inspire you to embrace change and transformation in your own life? [36:08]
5. Identify one area in your life where you need to extend forgiveness to yourself or others. What steps can you take to begin this process? [57:42]
6. How can you make the message of "God with us" more central in your daily life, especially during the holiday season? [40:46]
7. What is one new beginning you feel God is calling you to embrace this Christmas? How can you take the first step towards it? [52:47]

Day 1: Surrendering Regrets to God
In our journey through life, we often carry the weight of past regrets, whether they arise from mistakes, financial burdens, or strained relationships. These regrets can overshadow the joy of the present, but they do not have to define us. By acknowledging these regrets and surrendering them to God, we open ourselves to His healing and transformation. This act of surrender is not about ignoring our past but allowing God to turn it into a testimony of His grace. As we let go of these burdens, we create space for a new beginning, one filled with hope and renewal. [42:34]

Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV): "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Reflection: What is one regret you are holding onto that you can surrender to God today? How might releasing this burden open you to new possibilities in your life?


Day 2: Embracing Emmanuel, God With Us
Christmas is often overshadowed by the stress of gift-giving and the pressure of perfect celebrations. However, the true essence of Christmas is found in the profound message of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. This season is a reminder that Jesus came not to burden us with religious duties but to be with us, offering His presence and hope. By focusing on the presence of Christ in our lives, we can experience the joy and peace that surpasses all understanding. Let this Christmas be a time to embrace the true meaning of the season and the hope that Jesus brings. [40:46]

Matthew 1:23 (ESV): "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us)."

Reflection: How can you intentionally focus on the presence of Christ in your life this Christmas season? What practical steps can you take to prioritize this over material concerns?


Day 3: Transformation Through Christ
The story of Ebenezer Scrooge from Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" serves as a powerful illustration of transformation. Scrooge's journey from a life of greed and isolation to one of joy and generosity reminds us that change is possible. Like Scrooge, we can choose to let go of our past and embrace the present with hope and joy. Our past mistakes do not define us; they can be stepping stones to a brighter future with God. The message of Christmas is clear: when we accept the Son, we receive it all—peace, forgiveness, and a future filled with hope. [52:47]

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you desire transformation? How can you invite Christ into this area to bring about change?


Day 4: Creating New Traditions
If past traditions bring stress or conflict, consider starting new ones that focus on the true essence of Christmas. This can be a time of renewal and joy, centered on the love and hope of Christ. By creating new traditions, we can let go of the pressures of the past and embrace a more meaningful celebration. These new traditions can be simple yet profound, allowing us to experience the joy and peace that Christmas brings. Let this season be an opportunity to start anew and create lasting memories that reflect the love of Christ. [54:30]

Colossians 3:14-15 (ESV): "And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."

Reflection: What is one new tradition you can start this Christmas that focuses on the love and hope of Christ? How can this tradition bring joy and peace to your celebration?


Day 5: Receiving the Gift of Jesus
The heart of Christmas is about accepting Jesus into our lives. When we do, we receive forgiveness, restoration, and a future filled with hope. Embrace this gift and let it transform your life. The message of Christmas is not just about a historical event but a present reality that invites us to experience the fullness of life in Christ. By receiving the Son, we receive it all—peace, joy, and a future filled with hope. Let this Christmas be a time to open your heart to the transformative power of Jesus and the abundant life He offers. [56:08]

John 1:12-13 (ESV): "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."

Reflection: How can you more fully receive the gift of Jesus in your life today? What steps can you take to allow His presence to transform your daily living?

"God didn't say like, you know, I'm up here, you're down here. And if you work real hard, you'll be able to get to where I am. And that's about every major religion. Every major religion of the world is do, do, do, do, do. You got to do something and keep doing that. And how many do's do you have to do till you know that you're done? You never know. But not Christianity. Jesus came. He came from heaven to here so that we don't have to try to find him. The scripture says he finds us. Why? He wants to be with us." [00:40:46] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"That's what Christmas is all about, right? So when we look into this series, I think we need to realize that regret doesn't have to define your story. So number one thing we need to do is acknowledge our regrets. Acknowledge that. What is the regret? What is the?" [00:41:43] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"Our regrets can be stepping stones to a brighter future with God. Because listen, let me just tell you right now, just take a deep breath, everybody. A deep breath, blow it out. Okay, just relax. It's okay to be you." [00:43:52] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"God is not surprised by your mistakes or your regrets. You've been trying to hide them, but He's bringing them into the light today because as much as you hide them, you can't hide them. You know, when you wake up, you know, at night when you lay down, those regrets, those feelings that are there." [00:46:04] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"Christmas is not about gifts, I like gifts. It's not about music, I love music. It's not about parties, and I love to party. But Christmas is a reminder for us to stop, pause, and remember. Jesus entered this world as a baby to redeem our broken lives." [00:52:47] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

All right. It's great to see you today. We see a lot of new faces, and if you're a guest with us today, Anita and I will be out in the foyer at the end of the service. Please come by and introduce yourself. I want to meet you. If you'd take time to come and be with us, I sure want to hear your story and know a little bit about you, and we're just so glad.

We welcome our online guests that are watching with us, and we pray that if you're ever in this area, you get a chance to stop and be with us. Father's House, would you give a warm welcome to those that are watching online?

We have a new YouVersion Bible study plan that we're going to start today, actually. It starts today. It's called Home for Christmas, so go ahead and take your phone out. Stop playing solitaire for just a moment. I know some of you do that the whole time I'm preaching. You're doing solitaire. I've been by, and I've seen you, so I'm not going to call you out, but you need to take your QR code, and you need to shoot that, all right?

It's a YouVersion plan that we're doing together as a church. It's going to be really good because we've got so many activities. I mean, you saw some of those, and we're using our invite cards. We gave you the six-pack last week of a little invitation with six cards so that you can invite your one. That's what the wall is out there where you see the letters HOPE. That's where you write the name of the one that you want to bring to one of our Christmas services.

Somebody said, "Oh, I thought that was just a place where I put my name." So all week long, I've been going by the name of the one that you want to bring to one of our Christmas services, and I'm praying for every name on there. So I thought maybe this week, Pastor Ben would get saved since he put his name out there.

But in case we haven't told you lately, I want to tell you how much that Anita and I love you and how much that we value that you would be part of this great place, the culture of the Father's house. I mean, just look around. Look at the people to your right and the left. Aren't those some of the most beautiful people that you've ever seen in your life? And I know there's a few that's not, but anyway.

In the other service, let's pray. Father, we love you. What great songs today. Thank you for blessing us with such a great worship team. Thank you, Lord, for everyone who serves on this campus because we serve for you.

So today, as we start this new series, Restoring Christmas Joy, I just pray that you would help me to say what you want me to say. Don't let me say anything I shouldn't say. And Lord, at the end of the service, I pray more than anything that you would help me, anything else, that you would be glorified, that the saints would be edified, and that the devil would be terrified in the name of Jesus.

That's right. Christmas is starting earlier and earlier, it seems like. You know, it used to be Christmas trees and decorations came out after Thanksgiving. But now, I mean, you can be walking through wherever you go, and you're dodging cobwebs and skeletons in the Halloween aisle, and there's Christmas wreaths up, and the whole time, I mean, you're just there to look for your Thanksgiving turkey. You haven't even found that yet.

And for some of you, Christmas is a very stressful time. Now, to me, it's a very magical, fun time. But I know for some of you, Tim and I, we start listening to Christmas music about July. That's just how we are. But I know some of you hate it, and you hope it gets over with really quick.

So I've just really got a teaching for you today. What may seem like ho, ho, ho to me is a no, no, no from you. I mean, you've even said later, "I just can't stand Christmas. I just got to get this over. I just wish it would be gone."

Now, really, when you think about it, you're not really saying you hate Christmas. But I think what it is that you hate some of the things that come with Christmas, like the stress, maybe past memories, or maybe that buying list. Maybe you've got people that's hard to buy for. You know, I feel sorry for Anita because I'm the world's worst person to buy for. I'll just acknowledge that right there.

There's some things I like, some things I don't like, and that's just me, okay? But she works really hard. Yeah, she's pointing at you, Mike, so you join me. But she works real hard at that. But it's stressful for her. For me, man, I'm ready to go. I'm ready to buy for her, the kids, everything else, you know, do all of that. So I know some of you like that.

And then, of course, there's always Aunt Mildred's fruitcake that's better as a doorstop than something you can eat. In fact, nearly 40%, almost half. Now, if the statistics are right, nearly half of everyone that is here finds Christmas one of the most stressful times of the year because of the financial strain, maybe family drama.

Maybe you're part of a family where you overspend and your spouse is very cautious in saying, "Look, why are you buying all of these things, all of the Amazon boxes that are coming and everything that's coming? I mean, how much money have you spent?" We're in the midst of all that. So instead of as a family enjoying Christmas, it's because we don't understand that maybe we should meet in the middle a little somewhere there.

Or maybe it's unresolved regrets. Say, "You know, if I'd have been a better dad, my kids would have enjoyed Christmas. If I'd have been a better mom, I'd have done this. And if I'd have done something else." And so we live with those regrets in our life. Or maybe it's just memories of Christmas past.

And Christmas never meant much to you. Now, you know, I came from a middle-class family. We didn't have a lot, but my family worked hard at making Christmas fun. I mean, we lived in the country, go out and cut down the tree. That was always fine until we got a little bit more affluent and we bought a tree. But I like to go out and shopping, not shopping, but cutting down our own tree.

But they worked hard at that. But Anita, she's from a very large family. And Christmas for her was giving, the family gave them IOUs. Her mom and dad gave them IOUs, not gifts. Or they got something hand-me-down that they could find from somewhere else.

So we're all here today going into this Advent season with different thoughts when I say about Christmas because really Christmas magnifies everything. If you've got a good life and you're joyful and things are wonderful, then when Christmas comes and the music and all of that, then it just magnifies that you just like life.

But maybe this year there's an empty chair and that person is not going to be with you or maybe a multitude of other things, and your pain is like a megaphone of grief because of Christmas. Or maybe it's just your budget. Your budget is tighter than Santa Claus, and it's just really stressful when you think about Christmas.

Or maybe you go on Instagram and you scroll and scroll and see all the reels and see everybody's real life. It's really unreal life because it's staged. You ever notice that? The right filter? I ask Anita, "Where do you get that filter? I want to use the filter." Okay, I don't understand. Or just, you know, just everything is staged just right.

And so you look at that and you think, "Man, I thought by now I'd be farther down the road. I thought by now I could be like some of these others enjoy these."

So I think that as we come into this series, just sort of as a foundational thing, we've been talking about Charles Dickens' novel Christmas Carol, and it's a film that came out later that follows Ebenezer Scrooge, who is a miserable, cold-hearted businessman who despised Christmas.

So that's why some of you are called Scrooge. So if you've never seen the movie, maybe you should watch the movie. So he prioritized wealth over relationship, and then he gets a visit from a ghost from his former business partner, Jacob Marley.

Marley said, "Wake up, Scrooge! You're selfish, you're full of greed, and it's gonna lead to eternal suffering unless you change your ways." And then, of course, he was visited by three ghosts, right? The first one was the ghost of Christmas past, and they showed Scrooge when he was a child, and actually there was some joy and there was some love, and then there was a heartbreak that shaped the bitter outlook on his life.

Ghost of Christmas past. And then there was the ghost of Christmas present in which he was able to see like the Cratchit family, who didn't have much, but they enjoyed Christmas. They enjoyed the time. So looking at that, and then he went to the ghost of Christmas yet to come, and it simply was a chilling glimpse of his life—lonely and an unremarkable death and no one there to mourn him.

Christmas future. So shaken by these three visions, Scrooge wakes up on Christmas morning, changes his heart, embraces the Christmas spirit. I don't think he had to come to Jesus moment, but he did have a come to Christmas moment, and it changed his life.

So we want to, in this series, just sort of look at this, how that we can bring back the Christmas joy, that it's not a drudgery, but it's something that we can enjoy. Because really the message of Christmas is not about gifts. It's not about the music. It's not about the fruitcake. It's about Jesus, who came as Emmanuel.

We sang that just a minute. What a beautiful song that he could have come and gone to Rome and overcome Rome with a multitude of warriors. But he came as a little baby, came as a throne in a manger.

And so I am reminded of the verse in Matthew 1 and 23 that says, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel," which is translated, say it with me, "God with us."

Think about that. God didn't say, "Like, you know, I'm up here, you're down here. And if you work real hard, you'll be able to get to where I am." And that's about every major religion. Every major religion of the world is do, do, do, do, do. You got to do something and keep doing that. And how many do's do you have to do till you know that you're done? You never know.

But not Christianity. Jesus came. He came from heaven to here so that we don't have to try to find him. The scripture says he finds us. Why? He wants to be with us.

There's someone here today that you've never known him like that. You know religion. You know churches. You know those things. But I just feel that real strongly that he wants you to know it's not an accident that you're here because he wants you to know that he really wants to be with you.

That's what Christmas is all about, right? So when we look into this series, I think we need to realize that regret doesn't have to define your story.

So the number one thing we need to do is acknowledge our regrets. Acknowledge that. What is the regret? What is the thing from the past? Was it somebody hurt you? Was it you hurt somebody else? Or was it just that the whole commercialization and everything is just, it just really kind of gets you in a wad in the midst of all that?

But first of all, we just want to acknowledge our regrets. Think about it now and think about it this afternoon. Why, why do you regret? What is the regret about Christmas? What is the regret about even thinking about the Lord?

Here's what I know. It's in your notes, and it says here, "God will speak through our past to heal our present and change our future." Let me say that again. God will often speak through our past. That's what he's saying today to us. To some of you, he's saying, "Take a look at your past."

And that's one of the reasons that you're struggling now because he wants to heal our present. So this Christmas, Christmas 2024 can be the best Christmas that you ever had. You can write down in your journal. You know, I used to write down in my journal, I used to write down in my journal, I used to, when I think about Christmases, it's always about the past and things that were wrong and didn't go right.

And how that four Christmases ago, something else went wrong. But he wants to work through that today and heal us even in this series to restore that joy so that we can enjoy Christmas present right now and change our future.

Because here's what I know, regrets are inevitable. They're going to happen. Something will go wrong. You'll have missed opportunities. You'll make wrong choices. And the weight of what-ifs and if-onlys can be very paralyzing.

But here's the good news. Our regrets can be stepping stones to a brighter future with God. Because listen, let me just tell you right now, just take a deep breath, everybody. A deep breath, blow it out. Okay, just relax.

It's okay to be you. You know why it's okay to be you? Because you're handmade by God. So those of you that struggle because you're not like somebody else, you don't enjoy Christmas the same way you enjoy the Christ or Christmas, can I just say relax a little bit?

Because God knows, He understands. In fact, here's what the Bible says. The Bible says in Genesis 2 and 7, "And the Lord God formed man of the most expensive gold on the earth." Is that what the Scripture says? What's it say? Dust.

Look at your neighbor and say, "You're dust." You're some, you know, you're some good-looking dust put together nicely, but you're dust. You're the dust of the ground. But the thing that made you different, He breathed the breath of life into you, and you became a living being.

Look at that. We are dust, fragile, flawed, prone to mistakes. The Hebrew word there where it says formed is the picture of a potter who takes clay that's wet, he puts it on the potter's wheel, and he begins to touch it.

And he puts it on the potter's wheel, and he turns the wheel, and he begins to shape that vessel. That's why everybody here looks a little different. That's why everybody here has different gifts. Why? Because you're handmade by God.

Before you were ever born, you're handmade by Him so that He left heaven, came here as Emmanuel. So when you have a chance to invite Him into your life, He's here, and He's ready to do that.

We're clay, a collection of dust and chemicals, to be more specific, let me tell you who you are: 58 pounds of oxygen, 50 quarts of water, 3 pounds of calcium, 2 ounces of salt, and 6 pounds of Oreo cookies, all formed to make you who you are.

The Oreo cookies that have the white chocolate on the outside, right? Anita's got six packs in the freezer because they only make them at Christmas, all right? Now, of course, you're a whole lot more than just that. But still yet, you're dust.

You say, "Well, dang, I came to Father's house, and you really boost my self-image. You're just telling me I'm nothing but dust." I just, you know, that's, well, that just really says it's okay to be who you are because God made you that way. Isn't that awesome?

God is not surprised. I love this. God is not surprised by your mistakes or your regrets. You've been trying to hide them, but He's bringing them into the light today because as much as you hide them, you can't hide them.

You know, when you wake up, you know, at night when you lay down, those regrets, those feelings that are there. The scripture says in Psalm 103, verse 13 through 15, "A father has compassion on his children. So Adonai has compassion on those who fear him, for he knows our frame. He remembers that we are but dust. As for man, his days are like grass. He flourishes like a flower in the field."

God doesn't expect perfection. When we acknowledge that we have regrets, mistakes, he can begin to heal those.

So number two, we need to surrender our regrets to embrace a new beginning. It's not enough to just acknowledge, say, "You're right, Terry, that's a regret. That's something I wish I'd have changed." The if-onlys, the what-ifs, because we can always spend a lot of time acknowledging, like, you know, acknowledge like, "Okay, I need to lose weight."

You can acknowledge that. You can acknowledge that. You can acknowledge that. You can acknowledge that. You can acknowledge that fact, you know, when your belt doesn't fit anymore, and you can't see your shoes when you look down. Now, you acknowledge that, but acknowledging that, it's not going to change it.

You got to do something about it, and that's where it comes to surrender. You got to say, "I'm going to surrender what I'm doing right now. I'm going to make a change in my life." Acknowledging a regret is the beginning. The next step is surrender.

I love this verse, Isaiah 43 and 19. It's not in your notes, but in the message, it says, "Forget about what's happened. Forget about it, right? Don't keep going over old history. Be alert. Be present. I'm about to do something brand new."

Let me say to some of you in your marriages, you keep going over the same thing over and over and over and over again, and it becomes a point of contention, and it never changes. But I have a message from you to, from the Lord today, and he says, "Stop going over old history. Be alert. Be present now where you are. I'm going to do a brand new thing in your life."

Give him a hand if you believe that. So, I surrender my regrets. I surrender my sin. I surrender the mistakes of my life, the what-ifs and all of those, and here's what he does with them.

Psalm 103, verse 12, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed your transgressions from us." When I bring my regrets to Jesus, he also nails them to the cross.

Colossians 2 and 14 says, "He canceled the record of charges against us, took it away by nailing it to the cross." So, first of all, it says, "He takes my sins, and he separates them from me as far as the east is from the west."

Notice he doesn't say, "From the north to the south," because you can go to the North Pole, and you can find it and say, "This is the North Pole," and you may try to stick your flag down there at the North Pole. I won't go any farther.

Or you can go to the South Pole, and the same thing. But he didn't use that. He said, "I'm going to take your sin once you surrender it. I'm going to take your regrets once you surrender them, and I'm going to separate them from you as far as the East is from the West."

So some of you keep going back to the sins of your life, the things that used to be, you know, B.C., before Christ. But he says, "No, once I've taken your sin, and I've nailed it to the cross, it's going to be separated as far as the East is from the West."

What's the significance of that? Well, if you start off heading West, West, West, and say, "I don't know, this way, that way, up, down." I know it's not up, I know it's not down, so it's one of these directions. Let me ask Google. Google, where's West? Anyway.

If I start going West, if I understand it right, I can keep going, and going, and going, and going. And then pretty soon, I'm no longer going West, I'm going East. And I couldn't find my sin.

Because he separated it so far that I could never find it. I mean, doesn't that just cause you to want to surrender your regrets? See, some of you are sitting here today, and there's sin in your life, and you keep going over, and over, and the same thing, and you know it's not pleasing to God, and you know it's not pleasing to you.

It makes you upset, but yet the enemy comes in, and he tempts you, and you keep going over the same thing, and the same thing, and the regrets living in all of that. Because you've never taken time to surrender it to him once and for all.

You do it, you surrender it just enough to know that he's forgiven you, not change. You don't want to change. Even when you pray and ask God to forgive you for that, you're still thinking about the next time you're going to do it, or how you're going to make it happen.

You plan, "Well, it won't happen," but you know it does happen. But today, he's simply saying, "Why don't you once for all surrender that to me, and let me separate it from you? And let me bring that peace of mind into you."

That means that our past mistakes no longer define me, but they become a testimony of his grace. And we need to embrace a new beginning. Christmas is not about gifts; I like gifts. It's not about music; I love music. It's not about parties, and I love to party.

But Christmas is a reminder for us to stop, pause, and remember. Jesus entered this world as a baby to redeem our broken lives.

So what are we going to do? Well, how about starting some new celebrations? How about starting a new church? How about starting something new in your family? Doing something new, not catching up in the old.

If everything you've been doing now brings the argument the whole time you are. I know years ago when we were in a place that we had very little. And Anita and I and Kelly lived in Columbus, and it was Christmas. And we were in between things, and we had no money.

And I, as a gift giver, was so frustrated. Frustrated I felt like it was the end of the world. I mean, how do you do that and had no money? So we decided we sat down, the three of us, and we said, "Okay, this year for Christmas we're going to buy a gift for each other that can't be any more than ten dollars, but it has to be something usable."

I hated that Christmas. I'd love to tell you it was so wonderful we do that every year. You've got to be kidding. I think Anita got me a manicure, which I loved. It was great.

But you know what? At the end of that Christmas, as we sat down, we said, "There's something special about this time, something special."

Oh, we went to, we were in Columbus, so we went over to Helen, Georgia, a German village. You'd think at Christmas it would be big time. Anita and I went over, and that night was our Christmas. It was going to do part of that. And so they shut down at 6 o'clock.

We had dinner at Wendy's, Christmas Eve. Christmas Day, we went back to Columbus. All the restaurants were shut down except Denny's. And we ate with the homeless at Denny's on Christmas Day. It was interesting how that is.

But I'm just simply saying, how about starting a new celebration? Isaiah 61 and 3 promises that God will give us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let me illustrate it to you like this. A wealthy man and his son love collecting art. The young man went off to Vietnam, and in Vietnam, he was killed. And the grieving father could not get over the loss of his son.

And one day, there was a knock at the door, and a young soldier was standing there. And he said, "Sir, this is a painting of your son that I did. I know it's not very good, but I had to paint it and bring it to you. Because I got to let you know, your son died saving my life. And this painting is a tribute to him. And I want to give it to you as my way of saying thank you."

Well, when the father died, his whole art collection, he had art collection, he had pieces from all over. It was going to be auctioned off. The first item up for bid was the portrait of his son. But nobody was interested, except the family gardener.

And nobody else was interested. And he said, "All I got is $10, but I'll buy it for $10." Everybody thought that was humorous.

So the auctioneer sold the painting. And he shocked the room by declaring, "This auction is now over. Because the owner of this artwork made the stipulation, whoever gets the son gets it all."

In other words, whoever would buy the painting of his son, because the father valued that son, he said, "Then he gets the Picasso. They get this, they get this, they get it all. Whoever takes the son gets it all."

That's the heart of Christmas. It's not about presents. It's about the son. It's about Jesus. And God says, "When you get the son, you get it all. You get forgiveness, restoration. You get a future filled with hope."

So now, here we are, the first Sunday of Advent, first day of Advent. So what do we do? What's our takeaway? What's our next steps?

Well, let's leave the ghost of regret behind and embrace the joy of Christmas. Number one, we just face our past honestly. Just face your past. The past is the past. Stop being there. God wants to do something new.

Ask God to reveal to you areas where you need to be healed. Second of all, reframe your story. Reframe it. Your past is not a prison. With Christ, it becomes a platform for His glory.

And then lastly, extend forgiveness. Forgive yourself. Forgive others, knowing that Christ has already forgiven you.

The invitation today is simple. Whoever gets the Son gets it all. Gets it all.

Would you bow your heads with me? Let's just consider this teaching today.

Father, we thank You for Your grace. We thank You for Your grace. We thank You for Your grace. Thank You today for all that You have done for us. And today, we make a decision.

We make a decision that would change our life. Maybe you're here today, and you've never invited Jesus into your heart and into your life. Maybe you've gone to church all your life. Maybe you've been into religion.

But you can never remember a time when you specifically invited Jesus in your heart and in your life. And so today, just giving you that opportunity, I'd love to pray with you and believe with you today.

Say, "Well, Jesus came to this earth. He lived a sinless life. He died on the cross for your sins and my sins. Because you've been trying to pay for your sins, but you can't pay for them. Only Jesus paid for this. He said, 'I nailed them to the cross.'

And so today, knowing that He didn't stay dead, He rose on the third day from that tomb, so as many as call upon Him could be saved. So today, you're sitting here. You're hearing the Holy Spirit knock on your heart's door and saying, 'Let me in.'

Jesus will not force Himself in. He will not make you change. But He wants to come into your life, and He wants to help change those areas of regrets and what-ifs and if-onlys.

So if you're here today, I'm not going to embarrass you. I'm not going to make you feel bad. I'm not going to call you out. But if you're here today, and I could have the privilege of praying with you, I'm not going to make you feel bad. I'm not going to call you out.

I'm not going to invite Jesus into your life. To me, that would be the greatest thing that's happened today. So if that's you, here's what I'm going to simply ask you to do. Raise your hand. Make eye contact with me and say, "Terry, just by raising your hand, that's me. I want to be included in this prayer."

Would you raise your hand? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Hands going up this morning everywhere. Thank you. Others today, here, here. Thank you, here. Yes. Thank you. Thank you.

You're responding, not to me. You're responding to this invitation from Jesus. And here's what's going to happen. Because of what he's already done, he's going to forgive you of your sins. He's going to give you a purpose for living and a hope for eternity.

So would you pray this prayer with me? Pray this prayer with me.

Father God, I thank you for sending your son, Jesus. Emmanuel, I could never get to you, but you came to me. And so today, I give up. I surrender my life to you. I don't know what that means, but I trust you. Fill me with your spirit.

As best as you know how, I'm gonna serve you all the days of my life. In Jesus' name.

Hey, if you raised your hand and prayed that prayer, maybe somebody's sitting beside you. Would you just say, "Hey, I prayed that prayer." Would you say, "Hey, just, I did that."

Church, let's celebrate today with those who are here. Come on.

Hey, here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna beat the Baptist out. Look, I mean, it's early. I mean, I preached a 30-minute message. But hang in just a little bit. Our prayer team is coming down if you need prayer.

If you prayed that prayer and gave your heart to the Lord or invited him in or made a recommitment, over here's the first step, and here's the first step. There's a book Anita and I have put together that will help you on that journey.

Now, here's what we're gonna do. The prayer team is coming down if you need prayer. You just come on down. We're gonna all stand. We're gonna worship a little bit more in one song, so don't rush out, just real quick. And then I'll see you next week.

Hey, don't forget, if you're a guest, be sure you introduce yourself. God bless you. Thank you for coming. Let's worship a little bit more in that song.