We saw on Tuesday the story of Simeon, and what he said about Jesus bringing salvation available for all people.  He picks up Jesus and says:

“for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

Simeon was considered a righteous and devout man.  It would have been easy to rely on his good works for his salvation.  Instead he goes and picks up a baby boy, and says this is the source of his salvation.

For him, that was a life-changing experience.  We pray that Jesus’ arrival on earth is lifechanging for you too.

Through this series, we’re seen Jesus’ impact on the religious, powerful, poor, and next week, the wise.

If you are religious – beware of trying to earn your salvation, you will find yourself falling short every time and in despair.  For you, Jesus’ birth brings hope. God came to you, you don’t have to get to God.

If you are powerful – beware of feeling like there are threats all around, and falling into fear.  Jesus is your comfort.  He is the true source of all power wherever it is exercised, and he can live in you and work through you to build kingdom of god, rather than your own kingdom.

If you are poor – you are probably aware of your reliance on God and God alone.  It is easier to know you are spiritually poor when you are materially poor, as material wealth can obscure our need for help and salvation.  Jesus represents spiritual riches offered freely to all of us, rich and poor, but so often rejected by the wealthy and accepted by the poor.

Whoever you are, God coming to earth reresents grace – a free gift from God you didn’t earn, didn’t force, and didn’t buy.  It was a turning point in world.  Will it be a turning point in your life?

Challenge: Explore Jesus this coming year – take Christianity 101 (info below), or get in touch with me for personal coaching.

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

Reminder: The best way to grow spiritually this year is to join our Christianity 101 in the Cafe Course in Pickering starting January 22nd. Register for you and a friend today!

Read the Bible in Sync Today

Ryan Sim - April 17, 2013

Wednesday - Change - Perfection

Jesus said, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." If the Sermon on the Mount was just about a list of rules for us this would be discouraging, hopeless. But it's not. It's about Jesus - his blueprint for his life - showing us what God is really like. We are meant to see that Jesus looks like God. It's not just about how to behave, but how to discover the living God in Jesus, and reflect that into the world. He is the pattern, blueprint for our lives as well. Perfect in greek is teleioi. A word about Identity, where perfection relates to love. God is love…all loving. Some scholars say "all embracing" is what that perfect word means. To be like God is undiscriminating and undifferentiating love toward all. Even those who don’t deserve it. He’s loving and merciful. Of course love doesn’t mean endorsement, or uncaringly saying “I don’t care what you do”. Sometimes God’s love means he protects us, stops us, redirects us, and more. We show we are children of God when we show Christlikeness. All embracing love. Connection back to love last week - Love is not sporadic, but who we are. Even with enemies. "To return evil for good is devilish, to return good for good is human, to return good for evil is divine." - Alfred Plummer Even with Jesus' example, we can be discouraged. He WAS God, so being godly was no great feat. What about us? We'll see tomorrow why there is hope for us being perfect(ed). Question: Jesus actually lived the perfect, loving life he commands us to live. Does this encourage, or discourage you? Why?

Related Topics: Disappointment, God, Perfection | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio

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