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 - May 14, 2014

Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Spirit

What was the meaning of all this about Jesus’ followers speaking different languages or “tongues”? It was a sign that the impossible mission they’d been sent to accomplish was actually possible. I love to rock climb, and I used to pride myself on never needing chalk. I considered myself a good climber with just my hands, and sweat never seemed to make me slip off holds. One day, as I struggled on what felt like an impossible climb, a friend insisted I put some chalk on my fingers. I immediately realize what I’d been missing – I could actually do what seemed impossible if I put down my pride and got a little extra help from some chalk. If Jesus’ followers try to spread the good news on their own, they will flail about like me on a difficult climb. They simply don’t have the skills, the numbers, the power to reach the entire world with this message. Think of the number of languages spoken, the various cultural norms to learn, the geography to consider. But with the Spirit of Jesus living in them, speaking through them, acting through them, they could and they did. There are 2 billion people in the world now claiming to be Christians. One web site offers a film about Jesus in 1200 languages. This was all evident in how the disciples began to speak in other languages, they never even knew. People remarked that this was unlikely, since they were Galileans – not considered refined and educated people - with an accent that made it difficult to speak other languages. One of those big barriers, language, was already being dismantled by the Spirit of God speaking through them. In a world with lots of barriers, how refreshing is it to see the Spirit of God taking some down? His good news about Jesus is for everyone, who speaks every language, from every nation. Christianity is not meant to divide people, but rather it’s good news God uses to transform each and every culture, each and every nation, each and every individual. Question: Luke never says what the people were saying as they spoke these other languages – what do you think the Holy Spirit would have said through them?

Related Topics: Ascension, Early Church, Jesus, Pioneer | 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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