Come to the Party!

Come to the Party!

Third Sunday in Advent
Zephaniah 3:14-20

Good morning, everyone!  How many of you have a birthday?  Raise your hand if sometime this year, you are going to have a birthday.  Everybody?  Of course!  We all have birthdays, don't we!  And many of us will have a party to help celebrate our birthday. 

There are lots of things to do to get ready for a birthday party, aren't there?  You need to decide where to have the party, which games to play, what flavor cake to make.  Decorations need to be hung, food needs to be prepared and invitations need to be sent.  Who would you invite to your birthday party?  Would you invite your friends?  Your classmates?  Your neighbors and relatives?  Would you invite people you don't know?  You probably would not invite strangers to your party, right?  Just your good friends and your family.

We are all busy getting ready for a special some one's birthday coming up in a little over a week, aren't we?  Whose birthday is December 25, Christmas Day?  It's Jesus' birthday!  And do you know who is invited to Jesus' birthday party?  Everybody!  That is because Jesus knows and loves everybody.  Nobody is a stranger to Jesus.  He wants all of the world to know and love him as well, so he invites every, single person to his party, which we call Christmas.

And so people from all over the world are getting ready to celebrate Jesus' birthday.  Folks are decorating, and cooking, and buying gifts, and sharing with those in need, all so December 25 rolls around, we will be ready to come to the party and to say, "Happy Birthday, Jesus!"

Let's pray together,

Dear God, we thank-you for Jesus' birthday, and for inviting us to his party!  Help us to always remember that the invitation is for all the world.  Amen.