In our series on Christmas as the Night that Changed Everything, this week we’re looking at how it’s the night that changed the poor.  The poor have a priveleged place in the story of Jesus’ birth at Christmas.  Here is where that really shows:

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.  (Luke 2:4-7)

When a politician visits a troubled area, it’s important.  I recall after the 1998 ice storm in Eastern Ontario, the Prime Minister visited Wolfe Island, where I used to volunteer as a paramedic.  Years later, people would still talk about how the Prime Minister had come, and how.  They knew in that moment that he’d seen what they were dealing with, through his own eyes.

Here in the Christmas story we see God doing that.  He has come to visit our broken and hurting world, and has let the entire population know that he is here with us – from rich to poor, young to old.  It’s so apparent in that he comes to earth not like pampered royalty, but as a homeless baby.

His parents are on their way to Bethlehem for the census.  They must travel, even though Mary is pregnant and close to birth.  They arrive, apparently without plans for accomodations (or their plans are cancelled when an unmarried pregnant woman arrives) and find no room in any inns.  If they had money, you can imagine they might buy their way out of trouble, but it doesn’t happen, and they end up in a stable.  The baby is born, wrapped in cloths, a poor, defenseless baby whose parents are doing the best they can, which isn’t much.  The word translated as stable may be a building dedicated to animals like we think, or it’s possible it represented a one room house with both animals and people, but either way it was modest.

This is not a story of privelege and power.  Why would God – who we would expect to come in majesty and splendour – arrive in this way?

Question: What might God be trying to tell us in coming to earth in this way?

Reminder: We are reading the Bible in sync as one community – so check out today’s reading here.

Read the Bible in Sync Today

Ryan Sim - May 22, 2014

Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer People

Yesterday we studied the change in people who encountered the risen Jesus, or who encountered his first followers who spoke about him. 3000 people in one day became his followers! What will change us from busy, spiritually interested people into passionate pioneers of the gospel? We saw yesterday, Peter outlined some simple steps for those who heard his message: Repent, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Have you responded to Peter’s message yourself? It’s one thing to study it, and another to live it. It starts with repentance, is there something in your life that you know is your way of rebelling against God? Is there something you know God didn’t create you to do, but you’re doing it anyway? Something you know God would want his followers to do, but you aren’t? Is there a way you are missing the mark, and not being who God created you to be, by putting other things before him? This is called sin, and whatever that looks like in your life, now is the time to turn and go a new direction. In other words, to repent, and to change your heart and your actions. Here is a prayer you can pray to confess your sins, but be sure to make it specific in your actual prayer to God. Confess: Father eternal, giver of light and grace, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour, in what we have thought, in what we have said and done, through ignorance, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We have wounded your love and marred your image in us. We are sorry and ashamed and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past and lead us out from darkness to walk as children of light. Amen. Have you been baptized? If you’ve never been baptized before, never shown on outside what God is changing on the inside, this is your chance. Let me know and we can baptize you like April and her daughter a few months ago, which was a big celebration for our community. Finally, Peter says to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is God’s guidance and comforting presence in your life mission, which is to know and love God, and help others do the same. Challenge: Where do you find yourself? If you haven’t repented, pray the prayer above. If you haven’t been baptized, contact Ryan. If you have done both, then ask the Holy Spirit to guide your next step. Who can you tell about this important part of your life? Where’s he calling you to serve and love others? Take a step in faith. See you tomorrow, when we’ll spend some more time in prayer. See you then.

Related Topics: Baptism, Confession, Early Church, Holy Spirit, Pioneer, Repentence, Spirit, Transformation | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio

From Series: "Pioneer Story"

We read through the Book of Acts as a Pioneer Story for the church.

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