To watch the sermon “Advent Conspiracy: Worship Fully” click the link below: http://harrisburgonline.org/sermons/advent-conspiracy

Do you celebrate Christmas an different than a person who doesn’t believe in Christ? 

As we work through our sermon series on Sunday mornings my hope is that our celebrations this year will be more Christ-centered than ever. Our challenge from the sermon this week is to commit to worshiping God fully through the Christmas season. Our goal as Christians is to glorify God with our whole lives, and this truth impacts the way that we celebrate Christmas.

Christmas is Christianity on display. Our celebrations and our traditions should present Christ and our faith to each other and to the watching world.

Practically speaking we can identify four ways in which we can worship God with our lives:

1. Worship with your words (Colossians 3:17, Ephesians 4:29, Proverbs 15:4, Psalm 105:1)

The Bible doesn’t give us a list of words that we shouldn’t use and another list of words that are approved for use. Instead, God’s word teaches us that our words have purpose, and that we should use them for the good of others and for the glory of God.

Your words are acts of worship. Be careful with what you so, consider your words before you speak, and make sure that what you say fits the occasion and builds others up.

2. Worship with your deeds (Colossians 3:17, Galatians 6:9, Micah 6:8)

Everything that we do as Christians should be done in the name of Jesus. You may think that this truth is an exhausting truth, but as a way of encouragement Paul says in Galatians 6:9 “let us not grow weary of doing good.”

Your deeds are acts of worship, and when you serve the Lord with your deeds He promises to undergird you and give you strength. Therefore, press on today and do all that you can do in the name of Jesus, the one who we celebrate coming to save us at Christmas.

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

3. Worship with your body (Romans 12:1-2, 1 Corinthians 6:19)

In a culture that objectifies the body and devalues being made in the image of God, we as Christians are to be counter-cultural in our obedience to God. What we do with our bodies is significant because it is worship.

Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Your body does not belong to you because you belong to God. Strive for purity and fight against the temptations to be unholy with your body. Jesus put on flesh at Christmas to save us from our sin. Jesus put on flesh so that we could live pure lives in our flesh by living by faith in Christ.

4. Worship with your thoughts (Luke 10:27, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

What you think about is as important as what you do with your body. God tells us to love him with our minds in Luke 10:27. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that we are to “take every thought captive to obey Christ.” To live faithful to God requires that we think rightly about God and the world around us.

Your thoughts are acts of worship. As you go through your day, week, and month commit to taking your thoughts captive to the Gospel.

This Christmas season as you wrap up presents for others, work to wrap your entire Christmas celebration around the idea of worshipping fully the one who came to save you by worshiping God with your words, deeds, body, and thoughts.