Determine the Menu | Dr. Tom Pace Preaching | 12.14.2025

12.14.25 by Dr. Tom Pace
Hebrews 13:15-16, Luke 1:26-38

What would be on the menu if you were planning a Christmas part for Jesus. This Advent sermon explores what it would mean to prepare a "welcome party" for Jesus if He were coming to your house today. Using the metaphor of planning a Christmas dinner menu, the Dr. Pace challenges listeners to consider what spiritual "courses" they would serve the King of Glory. Drawing from Hebrews and the prophet Habakkuk, the sermon identifies three essential elements of Christian discipleship that should be offered to Christ: praise and thanksgiving as the first course, service to others as the second course, and generosity as dessert. The message emphasizes that these aren't optional extras but the "meat and potatoes" of Christian life. Through references to neuroscience, literature, and C.S. Lewis's spiritual journey, the sermon illustrates how praise combats despair, service defines our identity as followers of Christ, and generosity provides the antidote to self-centeredness.