Christmas Morning (part 2) Sermon Preview

Think of the presents under your Christmas tree? What is their origin story?

To the one who receives the gift, the gift springs to life at the moment it is opened.

To the one who purchased the gift, the gift began when it was first seen on the store shelf or online and then purchased for an intended target.

To the store owner, the gift began as an order number before sitting as inventory in a stockroom or warehouse.

To the manufacturer, the gift began as a design that needed to built to a certain specification from raw materials.

To the designer, the gift began as an idea that was then sculpted into reality.

If you were to ask each of these groups of people the origin of their new Lego set, you would potentially get a different answer depending upon who was doing the answering. The gift recipient, gift giver, seller, manufacturer, and inventor all look at this story from different perspectives!

Now, I want to pivot for a moment to take our eyes off what is UNDER the Christmas tree to talk about the origin of Christmas altogether. Christmas is the celebration of the historical account of Jesus coming to earth. But when and where do we begin the origin story of Jesus?

The shepherds and Magi might say that Jesus’ origin story begins in Bethlehem, near the year 5BC.

Mary and Joseph might say that the origin story of Jesus began 9 months earlier when Jesus took up residence in Mary’s womb while she lived in Nazareth.

The angels would say that the origin story of Jesus goes back way, way further, and is truly out of this world. When the angels were created, Jesus was already there, long before our world began.

And God the Father would say that (in fact) there IS NO origin story of Jesus. After all, He always has been!!!!!! Jesus, as a member of the godhead, exists eternally. Quite literally, there has never been a time when Jesus wasn’t. In the time we know of as the beginning, He was already there.

So, the Christmas account does not tell the tale of the BEGINNING of Jesus’ existence, it tells the historical account of how and why He came to earth. This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church, we will be in part 2 of our sermon series, “Christmas Morning: Son rise on a new day” where we will look at Luke 1:26-38. In these verses we will see when Jesus came to earth to begin His incarnation, and what we can learn about the purpose of His coming as a result.

It is going to be a great Sunday! We will gather, sing, dive into God’s Word together, and also have our children sing Christmas songs for us at the end of the later two services! So, make plans to join us in either our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service this week … and bring friends!

P.S. I wrote a 25 day devotional for the Christmas season that you can access here.

Christmas Morning Devotional: Day 4

Day 4

Read: Luke 1:18-25

Have you ever watched your favorite team play a game they are losing badly? Ever turn off the TV or leave the stands early because the game seems out of hand? As Dandy Don would say, sometimes the outcome is so clear we “turn out the lights, (because) the party’s over.”

For Zechariah and Elizabeth, when it came to having children, they thought that the party was over! Advanced in age and barren from the start, they had given up hope of having a son or daughter. For years they had asked the Lord for a child, but for years they still remained alone.

When the angel Gabriel appears and informs Zechariah that NOW their prayers will be answered, Zechariah balks at the thought. He had given up hope. He had left the stands early. He had turned off the TV. Though he loved his wife and longed for a child, he assumed the situation was just out of hand.

But God had heard their prayers, and after a long delay, He had granted them their wish! However, because of Zechariah’s unbelief, God silenced him until his son was born.

What a fitting object lesson!

Though God had spoken to His people Israel for many years through prophets, because of their unbelief, the centuries before Jesus’ birth were prophet-less. Zechariah’s inability to speak during Elizabeth’s pregnancy and the lack of prophetic utterance from Malachi to Matthew (400 years) were both caused by the unbelief of the people.

As with all things, though, God would use this silence for His glory. Like a play that flashes its lights to quiet the crowd before the overture begins, so the Lord used the silence to make His prophetic return through John the Baptist that much more noticeable!

What have you prayed for previously, yet given up hope? Thinking it is not in the cards, have you moved on assuming God’s silence means He is indifferent or unable?

Perhaps the silence is merely a setup for the breakthrough that is to come …

Certainly God DOES answer our prayers, though not always as we hope. Sometimes He answers by granting the child to the childless. Other times He answers by comforting the barren. But He does answer the prayers of His children. Don’t leave the game early. With God all things are possible, so in faith, make your requests known to Him today.

You can find the full devotional in pdf here!

You can find more information about our church and Christmas programs by visiting wildwoodchurch.org

Christmas Morning Devotional: Day 3

Day 3

Read: Luke 1:8-17

Have you ever been at a shopping mall or theme park and needed assistance finding your way from one point to the next? You just left one store or stepped off one ride, and now you need to navigate to your next location … but you don’t know where it is. You might wander over to a large map showing all the points of interest. Surely this map will help you find your way! The problem is, you need a point of reference. If you don’t know where you are, you can’t possibly navigate to where you are going next.

Thankfully, these maps help you find a point of reference. They often have a large sticker declaring “you are here!” By knowing where you are on the board, you can find your way to your next destination.

The Old Testament is full of prophecies about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. In the Old Testament (written between 1,500 – 400 years before Jesus was born) there are 400 prophecies that Jesus fulfilled! That is a lot of data points on the map! So how would the people of Israel find where they were on God’s calendar to know when the Messiah would arrive? Malachi 4:5 says that God would send Elijah before the day of the Lord arrived. Isaiah 40:3-5 tells us that Elijah came to “prepare the way of the Lord.” Elijah’s arrival would serve as a giant “you are here!” sticker inside the map of biblical prophecy to let everyone know that the Messiah would soon arrive.

In today’s verses, an angel appears to Zechariah letting him know that he and his aging wife, Elizabeth, would conceive and have a child named John who would come in the “spirit and power of Elijah.” This meant that the arrival of the Messiah would soon follow! What tremendous news Zechariah heard that day. The sorrowful days were about to be invaded by the Glory of the Lord … the people needed to get ready. After all those years of waiting, they. were. here.

What ride did you just get off? What are you looking for in life? Do you even know where you are or where you are going? 2,000 years ago the earthly arrival of John was like an opening act, letting everyone know that the Headliner, Jesus, would soon be taking the stage. Let these prophetic clues orient you to finding your way to true life in Him.

You can find the full devotional in pdf here!

You can find more information about our church and Christmas programs by visiting wildwoodchurch.org

Christmas Morning Devotional: Day 2

Day 2

Read: Luke 1:5-7

Back in 1984, Bruce Springsteen recorded the song “Glory Days.” This song told the tale of a few aging people looking back on their childhood exploits with great fondness. Their “grown up” lives were not as exciting as their high school heroics, so they preferred to sit around talking about the “good ole days.”

We all have a temptation to look at some former era of life with nostalgic fondness, and long to return to some bygone era when life was easier and times were good.

Luke 1:5-7 informs us that the Jewish people, in the era when Jesus was born, were NOT living in the glory days. Their glory days had passed them by long ago. When Jesus was born, Herod the Great was the King of Judea. Herod may have been “great” in power, but he was certainly not in righteousness. He was a ruthless leader, commanding all the babies in Bethlehem to be killed out of jealousy and fear (Matthew 2:16). Herod was so unpopular that he feared no one would mourn when he died. As he aged he had likable people arrested with an order that they be killed on the day he died so that someone might mourn on the day of his death! He was one terrible guy.

Herod was the local ruler in Judea because he proved his loyalty to the political sovereign, the hated Romans. When Luke says that Jesus was born in the days of Herod, king of Judea, he was saying that Jesus was born in sorry days, not glory days!

Not only were these days tough politically, they were also tough personally for Zechariah the priest and his wife Elizabeth. They had no children, and their empty arms had become a heavy burden. No glory days indeed.

This year, as you head into Christmas, you may look around and see hard times. Job insecurity, a new illness, world events, or other challenges may tempt you to flee in your mind to the “glory days” of Christmas past.

If you are experiencing some sorry days this Christmas season, take heart! Jesus IS THE GLORY that came into our sorrow to bring us peace. Let’s look to Him together this season.

You can find the full devotional in pdf here!

You can find more information about our church and Christmas programs by visiting wildwoodchurch.org

Robinson Update (12/1/2025)

December 1, 2025

Dear Friends,

Happy December! It is hard to believe that 2025 is nearly over. In some ways, personally, this year seems like it has flown by … but looking back so much has happened. Many good things (Josh’s graduation and beginning college, the Deep + Wide project breaking ground at Wildwood, and more), but also some hard things (Kimberly’s lung cancer diagnosis, ministry challenges, etc.)

Though the year has had a few ups and downs, God has not changed! As Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Jesus is the King of Kings and worthy of our adoration and faith on graduation day AND on day #14 of cancer treatment. As James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” He has given good gifts in each of these seasons. Thank you for praying that we would see His goodness in this current season we are facing. I can assure you that God has answered our prayers. God has been good, sustaining and encouraging us throughout this journey.

I am not saying that this time has been easy (or fun) … it has had hard moments (side effects, uncertainty, and changes in schedules), but God has been good all along the way. And so we want to glorify Him.

Kimberly is through two weeks of the first cycle of chemo. She has been tolerating the treatment pretty well so far. She begins the second cycle of chemo next Monday, December 8. We will not know how well the treatment is working until she has another scan, sometime around the first of the year.

In the mean time, continue to pray for her doctors who are monitoring her treatment plan, that they would have wisdom to make any adjustments necessary. Pray also that God would bring healing to her body.

As we talked about in yesterday’s sermon, for the believer in Jesus Christ, asking God in prayer for physical healing is guaranteed to be answered in one of two ways: either “Yes” or “Not yet.” “No” is not an answer we will receive related to physical healing. God has promised us that the trials of this life are “light” and “momentary” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Even “heavy” things like cancer are “light” compared to the glory that is to come. And even “enduring” struggles like cycles of chemo are “momentary” compared to eternity. And make no mistake about it, one day God will upgrade our bodies that are prone to decay to a new body that He describes as “imperishable” (1 Corinthians 15:50-58). Therefore, we pray with full confidence that Kimberly’s cancer is temporary. We pray that God will remove the cancer soon and give her a return to full health now. But even if the cancer lingers, one day, in eternity, the cancer will be gone FOREVER. So, let’s pray with confidence for its removal, and ask God to help it feel “light” in the meantime. We are yoked to Jesus after all and He is doing the heavy lifting … and He has used your prayers to “grab a corner” and lighten the load as well. THANK YOU dear friends!

As always pray for God to be glorified in this, and for us to continue to see His goodness along the way.

In Christ,

Mark, Kimberly, and Josh

Christmas Morning Devotional: Day 1

Day 1

Read: Luke 1:1-4

George Washington was the first President of the United States. He was a war hero, having been the General of the United States Army during the Revolutionary War. He owned a large plantation known as Mount Vernon, was married to his wife Martha, and they never had any children of their own.

Now, how do we know that any of those things are true? Because George Washington lived in the real world. Eyewitnesses saw his life and recorded it in books that we still reference today. Like a stone hitting the middle of a pond sending ripples out to water’s edge, the impact of Washington’s life and leadership have rippled to the ends of the earth and reverberate still today.

Myths are made up … history happened. George Washington is a person of history, not a myth.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, really came into the world 2,000 years ago when He was born to the virgin Mary. His life made such an impact on the “pond” of the Middle East that people told others about the things He did and said, and the ripples bounced to the end of the earth. In fact, Jesus made such an impact that people are still talking about Him today! Some of the eyewitnesses even wrote down what they saw and we still read their accounts that have been translated into thousands of languages.

One of the Apostle Paul’s colleagues, a Gentile physician by the name of Luke, had many friends who were eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life and ministry. Luke talked to many, most likely including Mary and some of the apostles. Being an educated man, Luke wrote down these events in his Gospel account of Jesus’ life. He presented this work to a man named Theophilus so that Theophilus’ faith would not rest on emotion or hope, but that his faith might rest on the firm foundation of who Jesus really was and what He actually did.

Jesus is no myth … He really lived.

To what is your faith anchored? To the real person and work of Jesus, or to something or someone else? Over the next several days in this reading plan, Luke will try to convince us to anchor our faith with certainty on Jesus, our solid rock, who really came to this world and offered us salvation.

You can find the full devotional in pdf here!

You can find more information about our church and Christmas programs by visiting wildwoodchurch.org

Christmas Morning (part 1) Sermon Questions, Audio, Video

On Sunday, November 30, 2025 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Luke 1:5-25. This message was part 1 of the “Christmas Morning” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find sermon audio and video to listen to/watch, download or share.

NOTE: If you are looking for the “Christmas Morning” Devotional, click here.

Sermon Questions:

Pray
Read Luke 1:5-25
In your life, is there a prayer request you have prayed for over a long time? How long? Do you feel like you have gotten an answer to this prayer?
How do you respond when you feel like your prayers have not been answered? Mad at God? Keep praying? Something else?
Had you ever considered the state of the world on the “eve” of the first Christmas? What are some of the “dark moments” you may be experiencing as you head toward the Christmas holiday this year?
Gabriel tells Zechariah that his prayer had been answered (regarding his son). This was not only a blessing to Zechariah and Elizabeth, but to all people, because it informed the world that the Messiah (Jesus) would soon arrive! Zechariah may have assumed the answer was “no” (to his prayers), but in reality the answer was “not yet.” At the fullness of time, his prayer would be answered. How does this encourage you to keep praying in your own life?
Zechariah fails to believe the word that came to him from the Lord and had to deal with the consequences of that. When it comes to salvation through Jesus, are you believing the Word of the Lord? Are you trusting in Him?
Consider reading through the “Christmas Morning” reading plan this Christmas season (pastormarkrobinson.com)
What stands out to you most from this message? Any particular takeaway?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here

To listen to audio offline, click the link below:

Christmas Morning 1

To listen online, use media player below:

To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

Christmas Morning (part 1) Sermon Preview

Have you ever called someone, the phone stopped ringing, but you cannot tell if someone really picked up on the other end? All you hear is silence. Ever happen to you?

Did they answer the phone without knowing it, and you are simply a listening ear in their pocket or purse, while they are unaware of your “presence?”

Did the call malfunction and is stuck in limbo somewhere between satellite and earth?

Did your friend unknowingly speak before picking up the call, and they are simply waiting on the other end for you to say something else?

So many possibilities!

If this happens to you, what do you do? Do you stay on the line and wait patiently, hang up and try calling again, begin screaming into your phone with the hopes that someone will eventually hear you, or toss your phone to the ground and swear off technology forever?!?

Honestly and ultimately, these types of strained phone calls are not that big of a deal and usually work themselves out fairly quickly. But what about another type of “call”?

Have you ever prayed to God, but felt like you got silence back on the other end? Do you wonder if God is listening or if your prayers got trapped somewhere between heaven and earth? Is He even aware we are calling? Does He even care?

If you find yourself in this spot with prayers that seem to have gone unanswered, how do you respond? Do you keep praying? Do you begin speaking LOUDER to God with the hopes He will hear you? Do you wait patiently for an answer? Do you throw your faith to the ground and walk away from God forever?!?

How do you respond?

In Luke 1:5-25, we have the account of a couple waiting and wondering if their prayers will be answered. AND … they are making these prayers inside a situation where the entire universe is waiting and wondering if God really is there on the other end … and if He is, does He care about the suffering they are enduring? Will He answer? Will His silence go on forever?

This Sunday, November 30, 2025, at Wildwood Community Church we will begin our Christmas sermon series “Christmas Morning: Son rise on a new day” by looking at Luke 1:5-25. In the beginning of Luke’s “orderly account” of that which was accomplished through Jesus’ life, Luke focuses on the announcement of the birth of John. Why begin Jesus’ story with the birth of someone else? And what do we learn about waiting for the Lord in prayer from these verses? We will explore this on Sunday in part 1 of our series. We will gather to worship, pray, take the Lord’s Supper, and read the Scripture together. I can’t wait! I am so thankful for you. Join us in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service … and bring friends!

NOTE: Find this year’s all new Christmas devotional, themed to this year’s Christmas sermon series, by clicking here.

Christmas Morning Devotional: Preview

Christmas Morning Preview

Christmas morning is a magical time. As a Pastor, Christmas season is busy with lots of extra activities. Christmas Eve night is especially full with multiple worship services and special events.

When our son was young, I would hurry home after leading Christmas Eve services. We would pack the car and drive 2.5 hours to join our extended family for Christmas Day. I have fond memories of sliding into the driveway after midnight on Christmas Eve, carrying my sleeping son upstairs to bed with his cousins, having a cup of hot cocoa, and staying up with my wife and in-laws putting toys together and arranging them under the tree. Then we would go to bed and take a short winter’s nap.

I say short because the aforementioned activities would usually wrap up around 2AM. Then about 6:30, we would hear the kids assembling at the foot of the stairs. Like the Sooner Schooner preparing for the Oklahoma land run of 1889, the kids would be lined up waiting to stake their claim. Finally, all parents and grandparents would be up and positioned, the gate would be moved, and the kids would hurry in to see what surprise was waiting for them to enjoy.

Christmas morning always felt like the sun was rising on a new and joyous day.

The original Christmas was certainly a magical time as well. Since the foundation of the earth, God was preparing to one day send His Son to be our rescuer from sin and judgement. Jesus, the Son of God, was carried to the manger on that first Christmas Eve by Mary and Joseph. With all things arranged as the Father intended, and after the world had endured a long winter’s “nap” awaiting the arrival of the Messiah, Jesus was born! This Gift of gifts was a poorly kept secret. God had spoken of this day for over 1,500 years through the prophets, but His birth still caught a sleeping world by surprise. That Christmas morning, the Son rose on a new day.

In His Gospel, Luke recorded with a physician’s precision the eyewitness testimony of those who experienced that first Christmas morning. This 25 day Bible reading plan will take you through the preparations and presentation of that first Christmas morning to understand more fully the gift that Jesus is to us.

If you are looking for a church home in Norman, Oklahoma, this Christmas, we would love to have you worship with us at Wildwood Community Church. You can find more information about our church and Christmas programs by visiting wildwoodchurch.org. Merry Christmas!

In Christ,

Pastor Mark Robinson

A few ways to access the devotional:

You can find the full devotional in pdf format here!
You can subscribe to the YouVersion reading plan arrangement of this devotional by clicking here.
ALSO, if you would like to participate in the “Reading with Friends” Reading plan for this devotional on the YouVersion app starting December 1, you can click here.
From December 1-25 we will post each day’s devotional entry to this blog.

November 2025 Baptism Services

On Sunday, November 23, 2025 at Wildwood Community Church in Norman, OK, we gathered to worship Jesus while also celebrating the baptisms of 18 people who had professed faith in Christ. In the 8:30 service, we had a longer sermon rooted in Luke 1:1-4. Below you will find the audio from the 8:30 service, the video of the full 9:45 service, and the video of the baptism portion of both the 8:30 and 11:00 services.

If you are interested in being baptized at Wildwood in the future, our next baptism service will be March 8, 2026. Let us know your interest by filling out the form at wildwoodchurch.org/baptism.

To listen to the 8:30AM sermon on Luke 1:1-4 offline:

Luke Intro Sermon

To listen to the 8:30 sermon online, use media player: