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Thursday, December 24, 2015

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like CHRISTMAS

Is everyone ready? Do you know which list you're on?  It's almost Christmas. We hope all your stockings are hung by the chimney with care, St. Nick will soon be here. But lets not forget the 

"Reason For The Season"

Dr. James Allan Francis wrote this sermon back in 1926. It wasn't a long sermon. Just 245 words. It wasn't a flowery sermon. It told a story of one simple man who has made a huge impact on all of mankind for over 2000 years. His sermon has been re-written, added to, and para phrased over the years.  Dr. Francis died in 1928. I’ve often wondered if he had any idea that his 245 words would  be quoted for the next 89 years. There's little information about the author. Not what denomination he was, or in what church he first gave this sermon, other than it was somewhere in Los Angles. I finally found a copy of the original sermon Dr. Francis gave 89 years ago on Christmas Eve and would like to share it with you.
Let us turn now to the story. A child is born in an obscure village. He is brought up in another obscure village. He works in a carpenter shop until he is thirty, and then for three brief years is an itinerant preacher, proclaiming a message and living a life. He never writes a book. He never holds an office. He never raises an army. He never has a family of his own. He never owns a home. He never goes to college. He never travels two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He gathers a little group of friends about him and teaches them his way of life. While still a young man, the tide of popular feeling turns against him. One denies him; another betrays him. He is turned over to his enemies. He goes through the mockery of a trial; he is nailed to a cross between two thieves, and when dead is laid in a borrowed grave by the kindness of a friend.
Those are the facts of his human life. He rises from the dead. Today we look back across nineteen hundred years and ask, What kind of trail has he left across the centuries? When we try to sum up his influence, all the armies that ever marched, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned are absolutely picayune in their influence on mankind compared with that of this one solitary life… 
Happy Birthday Jesus! 
Love Grenville & Beatrice
  

8 comments:

Kay G. said...

How wonderful of you to share the man who first wrote this, just as you share the Good News of our Lord whose arrival on Earth we celebrate! xx
"A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices."
Joy at Christmas to you!

MadSnapper said...

this is perfect and beautiful and true and i have never read it before. thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas.

Connie said...

Beautiful and inspiring post! Merry Christmas to you!

William Kendall said...

Merry Christmas to you!

Emma Springfield said...

I had completely forgotten this lovely sermon. It is indeed powerful. In it's simplicity it brings so many emotions right up to front. Thank you for sharing.

L. D. said...

Thank you for sharing this post today. It is my pleasure to be your friend and appreciate your company on the blogworld. I hope you both enjoy all the grand kids and have a great Christmas.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Merry Christmas thank you for sharing that sermon! :)

CountryDew said...

Merry Christmas. Nice post. I hope your holiday was good in spite of your missing your mother. It gets easier with time. My mother has been gone for 15 years. I think of her more during the holidays but that is to be expected. Many blessings to you.