MAKE ROOM TO CELEBRATE
Make Room for Christmas #3
Pastor Dennis Clanton
Woodland Church
Sunday, December 21, 2025
(Nehemiah 8:10 NLT) “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!”
(Ephesians 1:5, NLT) “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.”
“All our life is a celebration for us; we are convinced, in fact, that God is always everywhere. We sing while we work, we sing hymns while we sail, we pray while we carry out all life’s other occupations.” –Clement of Alexandria
(Luke 14:15–23, NLT) “Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!” Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ “The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full.”
1. “GO QUICKLY” (Verse 21)
(Luke 2:17, NLT) “After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.”
2. “INVITE” (Verse 21)
(Luke 8:39, NLT) “Go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.”
“For too long, we’ve called unbelievers to “invite Jesus into your life.” Jesus doesn’t want to be in your life. Your life’s a wreck. Jesus calls you into his life. And his life isn’t boring or purposeless or static. It’s wild and exhilarating and unpredictable.” –Russell Moore, “A Purpose Driven Cosmos,” Christianity Today (February 2012)
3. “PERSUADE” (Verse 23)
(2 Corinthians 5:11, NLT) “We work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too.”
(John 14:9, NLT) “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!”
“You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look up into the Father’s face and tell him you have received his Christmas gift.” -John R. Rice
4. “I DID IT” (Verse 22)
“God does not call me to be successful; he calls me to be faithful.” If you are faithful to Jesus you will ultimately be successful, because Jesus will ultimately succeed.” –Mother Teresa
GROWTHWORK
1. Pray that people will say to God’s invitation
(Matthew 9:38, NLT) “So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
“Intensify your prayers and increase your vigilance.” –Joyce Meyers
2. Give to help our missionaries
(3 John 8, NLT) “So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.”
3. Listen to the Lord
(Isaiah 6:8, NLT) “Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”
(Psalm 67:2, LB) “Send us around the world with the news of your saving power and your eternal plan for all mankind.”
Prayer:
(Psalm 119:132–135, NLT) “Come and show me your mercy, as you do for all who love your name. Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil. Ransom me from the oppression of evil people; then I can obey your commandments. Look upon me with love; teach me your decrees.”