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 21, 2013

Monday - A New Idea - Becoming Like Family

In our last series, we talked about loving our neighbours, and stepped through six shifts. From stranger to neighbour to acquaintance to partner to friend to becoming “like family”. It’s possible to become like family with a focused group of people, where you practice loving your neighbours within that small group, and see that spill over to others outside. This series looks specifically at this stage of being “like family” with other followers of Jesus. It’s called the church, believe it or not. Important that explore what church means as we prepare to launch a new church in Ajax in 2014. You probably have all sorts of preconceived notions of what that word means. Attached you'll find a video of some people on the street who were asked about what they think of when they hear “church”. You can find the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLHSahGqlJs&feature=youtu.be&t=35s Question: When you hear the word “church” what do you immediately see, or think? Make a list, there may be several. What experiences have informed you?

From Series: "Becoming Like Family"

This series looks at becoming “like family” with others learning to follow Jesus. We're exploring how the church is not a building, institution or event, but a community of people. It's important that explore what church means as we prepare to launch a new church in Ajax in 2014.

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