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 - October 10, 2013

Thursday - Act On It - Partners To Friends

This week we’ve been exploring the story of Levi meeting Jesus, and having a big party with his former partners in crime, now his friends. Jesus’s transformative effect brings Levi’s colleagues into a new friendship with Levi first, then that friendship brings his friends into contact with Jesus. It’s no different today, this is very reason we held an outdoor movie night. We brought a bunch of people together over a great feast of popcorn. Our online users met one another, and made some new friends. This app and web site is meant to be more than a transaction, more than something to watch/listen to. It’s meant to bring us into community. It’s meant to be made up of real people, in real community with one another. Obviously movie nights and apps are large scale. But it depends on the small scale. It depends on people like you. You can be a Levi. At parties, people mingle and meet, and often discover things in common. So, have some people over to dinner, see what happens. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Or maybe have a hockey watching party, a playdate, a block party, whatever your scene is. Through that kind of party, I hope you and some people you know and work with, or have helped, will become friends, and friends can talk about what really matters. When followers of Jesus are present in the room and real deep things of life come up, I think that’s when Jesus enters the conversation, just like at Levi’s table. When he throws a great feast, his partners in crime learn the money grubbing tax collector actually isn’t driven by money anymore, but now he’s driven by love for Jesus, which makes him love them. Imagine the transformative effect on their lives. More than that, they just met a Jewish rabbi who will actually eat and drink with them, get to know them, love them, despite the risks, rather than standing outside and shaking his head. So, go and show your neighbours the same! Learn their names, stories, needs, and then become friends. Challenge: Plan a party, big or small! Please tell me the story, I’d love to hear how it goes.

Related Topics: Colleagues, Friends, Parties | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio

From Series: "Won't You Be My Neighbour?"

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