How To Write Short Christmas Sermons? Short Christmas sermons should tell the story of the birth of Jesus Christ and the purpose of his coming. I frame short Christmas sermons from passages of Scripture that focus on his birth and his redemptive purpose.
How To Write Short Christmas Sermons!
I was raised in a non-religious family where Christmas was about family, gifts and a festive time. I never took the time to look beyond the superficiality of Christmas. In my early twenties, I heard the gospel message, was saved and became a preacher.
So when I get the opportunity to preach Christmas sermons, I make sure that each sermon deals with the birth of Jesus Christ and the redemptive nature of his birth. A Christmas message may be the only opportunity some people will get to hear the gospel message.
The Sermon Example
I will use the short Christmas sermon outline as an example in order to explain how to write short Christmas sermons.
There are three reasons why Jesus Christ is our Savior.
They are:
- The birth of Jesus Christ declares it (Luke 2:11)
- The gospels confirm it (John 3:16)
- The Bible guarantees it (John 20:31)
The Sermon
Before I begin writing the sermon, I keep in mind that a sermon has three parts – the introduction, the body and the conclusion.
The body of the sermon or the sermon outline is the main part of the sermon. It is the bulk of message that you want to impart to your hearers.
The introduction introduces the topic of your sermon. The conclusion concludes the message of the sermon with pertinent application and action.
The short sermon outline above is a message I shared at a Carol’s service. I had about twelve minutes to share this message.
Here is my introduction!
What is Christmas about? What is all the fuss about? The world makes Christmas into many things such as: holidays, shopping, food, family and endless parties. But there is a component of Christmas that is not obvious to everyone. This spiritual component tells us the true meaning of Christmas, that is, Jesus Christ came to be our Savior. For a brief moment, I want to look at three reasons why Jesus Christ is our Savior.
The Sermon Outline
The structure of the sermon outline has three parts – the main preaching point, the sub-points and the key word or hinge word.
1. The Main Preaching Point
The main preaching point is the topic of the sermon or the subject of the sermon or the big idea of the sermon. Every sermon has a topic and the topic should be clear and concise.
In the sermon above, the topic is: Jesus Christ is our Savior. In the sermon, I wanted to look at why Jesus is our Savior.
2. The Sub-points
The sub-points are developed by asking the how, when, where, what or why of the main preaching point. In this case, I asked the why question because it best fits what I wanted to preach.
Why is Jesus Christ our Savior? His birth declares it. The gospels confirm it and the Bible guarantees it. The sermon outline is taking shape.
3. The Key Word or Hinge Word
The key word or hinge word simply swings the sub-points from the main preaching point. It must be a plural noun. In the sermon outline above, I simply used the key word “reasons.”
The first reason why Jesus Christ is our Savior is because the birth of Jesus Christ declares it. The second reason Jesus Christ is our Savior is because the gospels confirm it. The third reason Jesus Christ is our Savior is because the Bible guarantees it.
Here is the complete sermon outline!
Introduction
There are three REASONS why Jesus Christ is our Savior.
They are:
- The birth of Jesus Christ declares it (Luke 2:11)
- The gospels confirm it (John 3:16)
- The Bible guarantees it (John 20:31)
Conclusion
The Sermon Completed
When the sermon outline is completed, I add sermon content to the sermon outline with appropriate illustrations. I try to use illustrations that reinforce the point I want to make. I like to use story if possible. People generally relate to stories.
When the sermon content and illustrations are added, I write the introduction and then the conclusion.
Resources For How To Write Short Christmas Sermons
Bryan Chapell, Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon
Charles W. Koller, How To Preach Without Notes
James Braga, How To Prepare Bible Messages
Haddon W. Robinson, Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages
Haddon W. Robinson, Making a Difference in Preaching