Why does it matter if God uses the poor?   Why does it matter to us, if we’re not poor by the world’s standards,  if this is a night that changes the poor?  We may not be nomadic shepherds sleeping with the sheep in a field, but this still matters to us.

We are in spiritual poverty.  It’s different  from material poverty, but very important to recognize.

A sign is offered to us, from the poorest among us to the wealthiest, and it’s a poor baby in a manger.  This comes to us direct from God, though his heavenly messengers.   God helps us see our own poverty – spiritual and material – by his standards rather than our own.

When we see our own spiritual poverty compared to Jesus, we realize we need to get up and get to this baby, get to Jesus’ bedside just like those shepherds.  A spiritually or materially wealthier group may not have bothered – they may have considered themselves just fine – but the poor are those God started with because they are those who know they need outside help.

When we have enough, we can’t hunger for food.  It’s the same with God – if we consider ourselves spiritually rich and self-reliant, we won’t bother with reliance on God.

This is why, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor, or poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.”

In the Christmas story, all of humanity sees its poverty, its spiritual poverty, compared to this divine baby.  We realize we are unable to get back to relationship with God, and yet  he comes to us anyway.    We realize we can’t buy our way out of this debt to God (called sin), so someone else bailed us out and paid it off.

In the Christmas story, God helps us see our own poverty – spiritual and material.

In so doing, we realize the world’s standards are empty – we are all poor compared to God’s standards, and all need him equally.  This can motivate us to extend to others, who we now recognize as spiritually poor themselves, the same generosity God has shown to us.

Challenge: Give to the spiritually and materially poor in your life!  Toy drive, food bank, direct to a friend.  Tell them why – because God has been generous and loving to you.

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

Pioneer Story

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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