Our name | Mission | Vision | Leaders Ministries | Schedule | Directions | Contact Home   Gateway Church gathers for worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Location: 6425 Jefferson Rd. (Hwy. 129) in Athens, Georgia. For directions, click here. Ministry of the Word: Recent sermons Our quarterly e-magazine Gateway Today For the Gateway family Pastor Jerry's Weekly E-Mail A GATEWAY SERMON SUMMARY AUDIO Rediscover Christmas Jerry Varnado, pastor Gateway Church, Athens GA December 19, 2004 (Fourth Sunday in Advent) Main Scripture text: Luke 2:1-20. In a material sense, most of us have everything we need -- and a lot of what we want. But Christmas is about what we really need -- something money can't buy. Before Frosty danced around, before Rudolph guided the sleigh, before Santa come to town there was a Baby in a manger. That Baby is the essence of Christmas: the embodiment of love, understanding, compassion, friendship, grace. That Baby is a smile from God, a helping hand to the human race. When a person acknowledges that this Baby is the Son of God and receives Him as their Savior and Lord, Christmas takes up residence in his or her heart. Here is what Christmas means: 1) The beginning of Christianity. 2) A second chance for humanity. 3) The hope for peace. 4) God has offered to us the only way to live a life that is full abundant and free. World history -- and all the wars and graveyards it has produced -- amply illustrate that humans do not possess within themselves the power to live the way God created us to live. There remains this one way, the Way. Only Jesus offers a way of peace, harmony and hope for the world that actually works. It is the way Of Christmas -- the way of giving, humility, surrender, and sacrifice. Let's rediscover what Christmas is really about. As the late Peter Marshall said, "Let's not spend Christmas or just observe it. Let's keep Christmas," keep it as it was meant to be, with the focus on the Baby in the manger -- the One who is the Way, the Truth, the Life, and the Lord of all. A mp3 audio file of this sermon is here (12:00). (Download to a PC by right clicking on the link and choosing "Save Target As." Mac users: click, hold, and choose "Download Link to Disk." Depending on your connection speed, the file may take several minutes to download.) An audio tape of this sermon is available free of charge (U.S. requests only). Request a tape by calling or writing the Gateway Church office. Please specify tape number 041219a: Rediscover Christmas. © 2004 Gerald R. Varnado To the Gateway Church home page How to contact us