Every team and everyone has a story!

Well the story of the Orange Crush that I captained in 2018-2019 wasn't a pretty one.  The official website credited us one more victory than we actually had lol.  We had 5 wins and 13 losses and a goal differential of -32.  We didn't like to play defense. However, having said that, the guys I bonded with on this team were a great bunch not to mention that two players were my sons!  Last year we were on a team that won it all...this year not so much.  However, I could tell you stories about each of the guys, don't worry, I won't guys.  My highlight had to be Mark giving us the scouting report on the Silver Bullets before our last playoff game...the first place team that only lost one game all year.  It can be an empty feeling for sure to go down in defeat; however, hockey is just fun.  When I think of the real journey that people are on, I wonder how many feel defeated as they walk through their life.

In Acts 17, Paul was in the middle of his second missionary journey.  Paul’s conviction was that he was on a global mission to the spiritual emptiness that was felt by so many. He could see the desperation with the array of idols and he had to get the message out.  He had seen God miraculously provide, seen incredible people come to faith, experienced an incredible jailbreak and now he finds himself in Athens.

·         a city that once was the world leader in art, theatre, philosophy and education, the home of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle. But in the first century A.D., Athens was a mere shell of that glory. There was nothing significant to it economically or militarily.  It traded on its reputation of greatness,

Paul could see masses of people in spiritual need.  They had spirituality in the form of mythology, they have a belief in a number of different gods and different belief systems about each.
1.  A confident faith begins at home v16
Let’s consider some of the elements of the account we read. Stirred by what he saw, Paul began to speak in the first place he always did—a synagogue. He starts with those who are in the spiritual house of the day.  In every other city, speaking of Jesus in a synagogue had two predictable results: some people would believe, fall in love with Christ, and begin a life of following him; and some people would actively resist. The ones who often resisted him the most were those who already believed they had a corner on the truth about God.
2.  A confident faith takes it to the streets V17b -21
Having left the synagogue, Paul went to the marketplace, and in verse 18 he was challenged by Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. In the marketplace, people loved the sound of their own voices and theories, it was a new talk show every day and when Paul showed up as a guest, they were ready to dismiss him right away…   “What is this babbler trying to say?” translation MEH, shoulder shrug, whatever. “He seems to be proclaiming foreign gods.” (If it’s not Zeus, Hercules or the like, well then they’re useless.
Then in verse 19 it says they took him to the council of city leaders, the Areopagus, and there he was invited to speak. “May we know what this teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” The attitude in Athens was like that of a king who has jesters come into his court to entertain him. The Athenians were bored and wanted to hear something novel and new. “Entertain us, man! Say something that we haven’t heard before.”

“The central idea of Epicureanism is that life has no meaning. Everything happens by chance. There is no predictability, no reason, no order, no direction. Nothing about you will live on when you die, so there is no meaning to be found in a life to come. Therefore the recommendation is this: ENJOY LIFE take care of yourself, avoid pain, and maximize your pleasure, because there is nothing higher to live for.”

“The central idea of Stoicism, on the other hand, is that everything is determined by an inexorable fate. You are just a drop in the ocean. There is no reason to value yourself particularly, because great forces in the world are grinding forward, and nothing you do or think or say or hope is going to change any of it. Your life is going to happen to you exactly as it has been determined.” ENDURE LIFE
The problem with these philosophies is that they leave you with no hope.
That is the reason the city of Athens was completely awash in idols. No matter how much you say about fate or random events, you want somebody to listen when you cry. You want something to hope for. So the idols grew more and more numerous in first-century Athens, and they grow as much today.
We live in an age that is addicted and desperate. People are buying every promise that is made, trusting the next technology, adopting the latest fad, believing the last guarantee.  Idolatries pop up all over the place in our culture.  Look at the price people will pay for sports memorabilia as if to live somehow through the athletes they watch.
Paul starts by paying attention, picking up on cultural cues, norms, attitudes.  v22,23
How do you think Paul would connect with people in our culture?  What would be his conversation connector?
Sports Teams? 

If Paul had come here and was reading our newspapers, looking at our inscriptions, he might say something like this:  “I’ve looked at the kind of country you are, and I see that you are great on equality of rights with an enormous desire to do good. But you are so morally weak that you have very little to offer, and your influence is waning. Let me tell you how you can become what you want to be, the answer to what you are missing.”
Let me tell you about the God who can make you who you hope to be.”  He affirmed their spiritual quest
He looks for an opportunity to plant a seed of truth v24-28
Paul looked at the Athenian culture, read its literature, and found a way to open the door to conversation. Then he said, “The fatalism of Epicureanism and Stoicism is killing you. You long for significance, and you think that you can serve deities by making them temples or statues. But God needs none of those things. He is the giver of life. We give nothing to him by these kinds of efforts. You have gotten lost groping for a way to know God. But I will tell you about him. He has made us. He has given us our very breath. We are his offspring! He knows the history of each place and people. He is intimately acquainted with us. He has made us long for him, and he is near enough for us to find him.
The things your idol worship is saying you hope for, I am telling you how to find! There is a God who is powerful and intimate and personal, and he is reaching out to you. He can be known. You are significant. He cares for you. He knows you. He will listen to you if you call.”

Reaping – bringing people to a decision v29-34
Then Paul brought his teaching to a sharper point: “This God establishes justice. The most important decision we will make in our life is to either accept or reject the offer of God’s love in His Son Jesus.  The climax of Paul’s message is the Man whom God had raised from the dead and a few believed.
Sometimes we get hooked on #s and what is first and foremost is that we are faithful to God’s message and we share it and Jesus showed us that there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that repents than 99 righteous
What about us?

1.      A confident faith must begin in our church with each of us and we need to be open to the leading of the Spirit and when we are, it will be contagious.

2.      A confident faith must engage its community.  We must be missional.

So how do we engage our community?

1.      Take the school class picture approach!

Do you remember back in the day when we would get our class pictures back and look at them with our friends?  The first place people look is themselves…what was I wearing, how was my hair, did I have a stupid face???   I'm sure you were interested in your friends and what kind of faces they may have been making, but you first wanted to see how you looked in the picture. That's because no matter the person, everyone's favorite subject is themselves.
So, we start by learning to listen well and listen more than you talk.  We take a genuine interest in the life of others that the Holy Spirit can lead us to a place of understanding and an opportunity to share.
Don’t critique their statement, or launch into a barrage railing them for having screwed up beliefs…just listen to build trust, to let them know that you won’t judge them, and won’t look down upon them for their views (or lack of) on faith.

2.      Be sensitive to the signal light in the intersection.

Where is this conversation going…red light, yellow light, green light.
Ask the Holy Spirit to lead the conversation.
Share your challenges, struggles and how your faith has made a difference.
Is there an opportunity to pray for them?
Are they interested in knowing more?

3.      Sharing The Truth  3 circles

Planting seeds of truth-  It is at times such as these that we can talk more openly about the hope that we have in Christ and how it impacts our lives. 

Reaping the harvest-  The opportunity to lead someone to the Lord.

People Need Jesus  - everyone has a story.

We have grown too used to living with idolatry, with the sorrow of our world, with its decay. We don’t care enough any more. Or if we do care, we don’t listen long enough to have something to say that is meaningful. I urge upon you the example of Paul, who for the sake of love cared enough to listen and speak.
We need to start listening to our unchurched friends.  Nothing is more simple, more accurate than to understand where they are coming from.  There is a lot of brokenness and openness.  People are asking questions now and do we have answers when they ask what is the hope for this world?  Do we have hope?  Are we ready to be open to the Spirit leading us to speak to what God has given us?

At the same time Jesus himself reminded us that wars, disease, lawlessness, and earthquakes would increase as the time of his return approaches. He is the calm in the midst of the storm, He is our refuge.  There is a sense of urgency, we need to act.  May we not lose the opportunities afforded to us to cultivate friendships and spiritual conversations.

Songwriter Steve Green sung this song, "People need the Lord ... At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door ... When will we realize that we must give our lives, For people need the Lord. People need the Lord."

And that's what the message of Christianity is all about ... it's about helping people find God ... helping them find God's assurance of hope, love, spiritual renewal and best of all, his gift of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life in Jesus. 

Would you commit today to praying for three friends who need the Lord?

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect

Philemon 1:6 ESV  I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.

Being Driven vs Being Led

Are you more of a person who is driven…driven to succeed, driven to perform, driven to make things happen or are you the type of person who is led… led by your instincts, led to find your sweet spot, being in the right place at the right time?  It is often more easy to recognize a driven person because of how they get things done; however being led is not always as easy to detect because it often takes time, patience and perseverance.

When it comes to your spiritual life as a follower of Jesus, it is often a tug of war between both of these ways of living the Christian life; however, being led is absolutely the way we must go.  The way of being driven or placing demands on ourselves can only take us so far as our will power goes.  Speaking for myself, I know I used to joke about my life goal being to “burn out” serving Jesus, but ministry is so much more than running around trying to meet everyone’s needs. Sharon and  I have done a lot of hospital visitation of late and you can either be driven by the expectation of others or be led by the Spirit even when doing ministry.  You know when you are being led because you really sense that this is a divine appointment with someone.

Enter the Holy Spirit!

One of the identifying marks of a child of God is being led by the Spirit of God as I was sharing with our BYOB (bring your own Bible) Manor family this past Sunday.

 (pictured here is Ti making tea...lol)

For all who are allowing themselves to be led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  Romans 8:14  AMP

So, what does that look like? How do I know I being led by God’s Spirit.  I believe it just has to start with slowing down enough to listen.  I am guilty of being one who wants to just get doing or race out ahead.  I have a hard time just sitting still, but what I’ve realized in those quiet moments is that God is longing to speak to me though Holy Spirit.  As I simply ask the question, “Lord, what is it that you want me to know today?” His Spirit speaks and I have my journal ready.  I’m slowly learning to take my cues from a place of listening as opposed to a position where I already know what to do.  Sometimes the question needs to be, “Lord, what is getting in the way of my intimacy with you?  What is the one thing that is consuming me? 

What I do know as well is that the voice of the Spirit is not a condemning voice, but it certainly can be convicting and there is a difference.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.   Romans 8:1 NIV

A condemning voice is one that will always make you feel less than, that you never will measure up.  It is a voice that tells you that your life doesn’t matter and it is the voice of the enemy of our souls. 

The voice of conviction is a powerful voice and a reminder of who you are in Christ, the you DO belong, that you DO matter to the Lord, that nothing can ever separate you from the love of Christ.

The work of the Spirit in our lives also can come in very emotional and powerful waves.  It is a profound sense of the Father’s love that you cannot prescribe or dictate but one that often comes over you and it is undeniable. 

As a challenge to our Manor family, we asked them to read Romans 8 and allow the Lord to really speak to them through a verse in this powerful and impactful chapter.

 So, here is some of the verses that spoke to our Manor peeps this past Sunday.

Laura shared on verse 38

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

She shared no matter how down you are, how strung out, at the lowest of lows, nothing can separate you from the love of Jesus.  It was such a wonderful revelation for her and not only that, but Laura is the first one who has asked to lead a Bible study and that is so exciting for us as we are seeing more hunger and more maturity as they grow in confidence and faith.

Barb shared on the same verse and the message of “Jesus’ footprints with her” She shared, “He’s always there.”  She spoke about a time when she was working as a nurse with sick kids in the pediatrics ward.   She remembers a time distinctly when a little 3 year old dying girl said to her, “I can see the anger in your eyes, but you wouldn’t be if you could see what I can see and where I am going.”  It was in this unusual and unlikely place where Barb’s faith would begin.

Tiara, who has been confined to a wheelchair since her childhood, shared on verse 18

“ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

She shared how the sufferings and trials of this present world are nothing compared to the glory that  we will receive.  It is Tiara’s attitude and faith in spite of all that she has gone through that has inspired so many of us connected to this ministry.

As I close out this post I want to share just how important the Holy Spirit is to our prayer life and how the Spirit and our Jesus pour out their heart for us before the Father as we pray.

The ministry of the Spirit is to teach us to wait patiently for those things which will last forever.  They are the things that don’t come easy, they come often with tears and pain, but the end result is always beautiful and worth the wait.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.  Romans 8:26

Holy Spirit teaches us to pray. We groan.  Why?  Because often when you get to the place of intense prayer, where you are overwhelmed at the prospect of what is staring you in the face you understand Paul when he says, we do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express!

There are times in particular I have sensed and felt this incredible groaning.  I was at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem praying that people here would recognize Jesus as Messiah and it was an intense moment for me.  Another time was at my bedside on an Easter morning as I prepared for the service and overwhelmed at the realization that I would be baptizing Jordan and Brynley, my two oldest children at that time.  I have also groaned at the loss of my own identification with a pastoral position, but have also learned in that place the unimaginable leading of the Lord though His Spirit into the ministry at the Manor.  We certainly weren’t driven there that was for sure, it was an adventure of being led by Holy Spirit and I wouldn’t want it anyway else!

This is how we are led by the Spirit. We all need to hear his word and move out in response to that word. We need to hear God speak promises and take possession of those promises. 

When we hear the promise but don’t take action, we live in fear, and the promise remains unfulfilled.

When we take action but aren’t really listening for the promise, we live in our flesh, aimlessly kicking in all directions at once and never really bearing fruit.    Ben Sternke

Ready, Set, Go!

What are the top 10 New Year’s Resolutions?
10. Be more spiritual

9. Get out of debt

8. Be more organized

7. Spend less time on social media

6. spend more time with the family

5.  be a better person

4. Quit drinking

3. Quit smoking

2. Exercise

1. Lose weight

Here’s the problem with resolutions…. I will.  It really is about willing things into existence.  Some of us good at will power for a day, a week, a month,  6 weeks – they say it takes that long to form a habit and some make it through the whole year.  However, for the Jesus follower, this new life has more to do with being than with doing!  It is more about living in Christ and the mystery of Christ in me than trying to will myself to be more spiritual.  It’s not about rule following, it’s not about trying to be a “good Christian”.

It is however, the constant tension to discover the ‘unforced rhythms of grace’ as Eugene Peterson paraphrases in Matthew 11:28 all the while not getting wrapped up in a performance mindset.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

The problem is that living that kind of life is hard to measure externally.  We can easily tick off the boxes if we were to check whether we read our Bible for the day, prayed prayers for others, , did a kind act of service.  However God wants to stretch us beyond a performance based relationship where the way that we live and respond is a natural outflow of His life in us. 

Get READY! Colossian 1:3-8  

who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

As Paul addresses the believers as Colossae, his initial prayer here is focused on anticipation and expectation of what God can do!

The love in the Spirit that prepared them was modelled by Epaphras who spoke of their love in the Spirit.  It is a Holy Spirit supernatural love that their faith, love and hope all bubbled up from.
Please understand that the ability for the gospel to bear fruit was completely wrapped up in the love that was created in them by the Spirit of God.

We can’t manufacture that kind of love.  We have to become completely undone by the love of God in our lives.  It is the Spirit of the living God that enabled David to say, “your lovingkindness is better than life itself!” Psalm 63:3  We need to encounter that love.

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
And I couldn't earn it, I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

Often we experience it to the greatest degree in our own brokenness.  I have often seen it happen in others after a failed relationship or after experiencing loss. 

We have recently been reconnected with Carrie, one of the people who were part of the Manor when we started.  Recently her daughter, Trinity, was in a very serious car accident, had been in a coma and went through two brain surgeries as a result.  She reached out to us and it has been incredible to watch her faith come back to life as she has been pressing in and praying over her daughter along with us.  We have been declaring promises over Trinity from the Word that she “will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.” Psalm 118:17

We have seen a new Carrie through her brokenness and during this very difficult time in her life and she knows God is hearing her prayers.  He has been so good and so faithful.
Yesterday as we were visiting with Trinity her eyes opened up and she began to focus on her mom, Carrie and us.  She was able to move her arm and also her foot responded to Carrie rubbing it.  Trinity has a long way to go but we continue to declare that she will make a full recovery!

GET SET   Colossians 3:1-4

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
There are times where I just learn to ‘soak in’ a song.

You Are Here (The Same Power)

The same power that conquered the grave
Lives in me, Lives in me
Your love that rescued the earth
Lives in me, lives in me

The premise of the song was the amazing revelation that the same power that raised Christ from the dead flows through me.  We talk about how we want to begin a new year, bring in a new perspective.  Start on your knees and renew yourself –spirit, body and mind with this same thought that gripped Paul.   I am raised with Christ!  I am raised with Christ!  I am raised with Christ!  The place that I belong is in His fullness, being made complete in Him, not in the valley of defeat and despair.  It lights my day, it renews my mind.  It needs to energize me beyond belief.

So, instead of putting up a good fight with sinful habits, getting worn out in the process and finally succumbing when tired; choose to seek God’s face for a deeper revelation of what it means to be ‘raised with Christ’. Take your eyes off your weakness and put them on the exalted position of Christ.


As one writer shares:
You are not a sinner struggling to get free from the tight grip of sin but an ‘heir with Christ’, raised up together with him with sin trying to pull you down.
Learn to look down at sin not up at it.

The most important things about us are invisible. No one can really identify the things that are really affecting us by just looking at us.  They cannot ascertain the critical issues that really determine us and who we are from this vantage point.  The realization that you are raised with Christ is the most valuable, most important invisible truth about you as a follower of Christ….stop reading ahead, let this sink in! 

We are united with Jesus Christ. We have died and have been raised with Christ and our lives are hidden with him in God. These realities cannot be proved by how you look; nothing you can measure, touch, and show other people. Your very connection with Jesus in this way is the greatest truth imaginable.  However you have to choose to believe it and act on it because it can’t be seen.  You want to live in freedom, believe that Jesus has set you free.  We need to appropriate the riches of your position.  Stop living like a slave to sin when God has told you that you are an instrument of righteousness!  (parallel passage – Romans 6)

set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. v1

The heart is the seat of affections.  We need to position ourselves so that we are ready to receive.  It is a matter of appetite, what am I really hungry for. 

Have I come to the ‘Rolling Stones’ revelation in my own life….’I can’t get no satisfaction.’  Have I really experienced the joy of the Lord as my strength?

Or is the U2 reality…’I still haven’t found what I’m looking for’  Am I just flirting with my affections for the King or does He truly have all of me.  I can’t experience all of Him until I have fully surrendered all of me.   That is the only way that it works.  You have as much of God as you want for they that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled!!

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. V2-4

Once you have accepted your spiritual position in Christ and your heart is Christ’s home and it is more than just a cliché , the next place to work on is your mindset.  You need to understand the nature of sin with your intellect – your mind.

Know this:

You are not your habits. Sin wants to be your master and it will not give up. It is a thief and it robs you of time, community and real relationships.  Sin never delivers on its promises.  Sin takes real needs and pushes you to fulfill them in illegitimate ways.

Arm yourself with this mindset:  If there is a death that needs to take place, it might as well be my death in Christ to the power that sin has over me.

It is a training process of your mind to learn to hate the consequences of sin despite the temporary pleasures it presents. Evil, wrong thinking always gives birth to evil, wrong living. If we are to live well, we have to align our thinking and keep renewing our minds, fill it with godly truth, soak its transforming power into our lives.

I can remember very clearly having a conversation with Dan about his journey of overcoming addicition.  He would share how when he was tempted how he would let him mind run the full course of giving into his addicition and where that would lead him.  He would imagine how he would feel after the high, the rush and the sickness that would come.  He would also look at how he would often lose his job and be completely broke after spending the money to feed the addiction and the amount of time to come back to his normal self and then he would be able to say this is absolutely not worth it. 

The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus has come that you may have life and life to the full!

Renewing the mind is a journey; don’t get discouraged at the first sign of defeat.
Live in light of who you are, not the way that you feel after you just got beat up.

GO  Colossians 4:2-6  

Be missional always!

2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Birth your initiatives to reach your peers, your community in prayer.

Pray that God will give you the opportunity.

Pray  for boldness – don’t be afraid of people – Paul went to jail for his words, you won’t… well, at least not yet.

Pray for clarity – know the Scriptures

Be wise – timing is everything   - one on one’s I find are the best

Speak the truth in love – have compassion, have empathy for others

Believe that the Holy Spirit can give you the right words to know how to answer people.

Jesus said to His folowers in Luke 12:12 “for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."!

One Unplanned Pregnancy Saved Us

I was really struck by this post and it reminded me just how scandalous the birth of Jesus would appear from a human perspective.  This was the viewpoint apart from heaven coming to earth. It was the unplanned pregnancy that saved us!  This is the birth that brought us to the place of full salvation.

However, from God's perspective it was all part of the plan and the timing was perfect.  We read in Galatians 4:4

4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

"The time had fully come"  In other words, there was nothing unplanned from the viewpoint in heaven.  God in His perfect timing knew the political, social and cultural conditions were completely set to launch the plan for the Saviour of the world.

However, you still you just have to imagine the process that Mary went through and she, apart from Christ himself, is very necessary to this whole Christmas story!

The story that has been given to us Luke 1:26 – 56 is an incredible description of events for her.  Let's take a step back and imagine what she felt, what she struggled with, and what she believed, as she embraced the plan of God for her life.

Mary did you know? like the song written by Mary Lowry....  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U2G8wsbXBo

Did she know the far reaching implications of what was about to happen to her and through her to impact the world in a way that would change it forever?

What did she know?

She knew she’d been visited by an angel. Vs. 26

She knew by the angel’s words that God was with her.  Vs. 28

She knew that she had been chosen by God or had “found favour” with God. Vs. 30

She knew she was going to have a child… more specifically a son. Vs. 31

She knew what to name him. Vs. 31

She knew that he would be the Messiah, however she understood that to be. Vs. 32, 33.

She knew that God the Holy Spirit was the Father and that her child would be the Son of God vs. 35

She knew that this was somehow all tied to her cousin Elizabeth’s baby. Vs. 36.

It’s really not a lot of information to go on if you think about it.  And the angel didn’t address any of Mary’s questions beyond the “Do not be afraid,” basically, you got this comment.

Mary must have had questions although I’m not sure she ever had a chance to voice them.  Maybe even a few objections cropped up in her mind initially.

I’m not ready to have a baby.  This isn’t fair.

Why would God choose me?

I’m no one special.

How will I tell Joseph?… we aren’t married yet.

How will I tell my parents?

What will people say?

I don’t know what to do.

I don’t know how to raise the Son of God.

What if I teach Him something wrong?

What if I do something wrong to Him?

I’m sure all of these thoughts and probably more were racing through her mind in the wake of the angels visit.  But one thing the angel had said seemed a little out of place.  The angel had said that this whole thing was somehow tied to the baby that her cousin Elizabeth was carrying.  Mary knew about the miraculous conception of Elizabeth in her old age.  Elizabeth had been barren for so many years.  …What did that have to do with this baby?  Maybe Elizabeth could help her understand all this.

 Elizabeth lived up in the hills of Judea so Mary doesn't hesitate to make the journey to go and visit with her cousin Elizabeth. When she arrives, Elizabeth greets and prophesies over Mary, and it’s the verse 45  really stands out.  

“Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” 

Mary’s response to what was happening to her would be wrapped up in her level of faith! 
 Blessed is she who has BELIEVED!!

You see Mary hadn’t been given a choice.  She was chosen by God.  The baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit.  She was going to give birth to the Son of God one way or the other.  The significant thing for us to note here is HOW she responds to the situation that has been thrust on her.

The question is whether she would go along be-grudgingly, an unwilling participant in a plan she had no control over?  Would she complain and shake her fist at God about how unfair it all was?  Would she do the bare minimum as a parent, providing basic nurture and food and water and clothing, but reserving her love because she had no choice in this whole scenario?

OR…

Would she feel like she was never doing a good enough job?  Always wondering if someone else could have done this better.

But this isn’t what we observe in Mary’s situation is it? 

Elizabeth hits the nail on the head when she says to Mary…Mary…where is your faith?  This is about believing.  If you believe Mary, you will be blessed and everything the Lord has spoken to you, this great plan of bringing hope, peace and a Savior to the world…Mary it will be accomplished because you believe!

I never really thought of it this way before.  That part of the plan for my salvation… for your salvation, hinged on the fact that a teenage girl chosen by God would have to choose incredible faith – would have to believe that what God had spoken to her was true and would come to pass, so that the Saviour of the world could come to earth and ultimately become the sacrifice for our sins.

And Mary’s response to Elizabeth’s words in the next 10 verses, tell us that she absolutely believed.  And in the moment of Mary’s believing, I believe the Holy Spirit revealed to her some things that we observe in these words of worship we now know as the “Magnificat”

Let's look at three main truths that really stick out of Mary's Song of Worship

1.            God’s Salvation Is Personal

vs. 47 …my spirit rejoices in God MY Saviour

She recognized her own need of a Saviour…that this child she was carrying who would be the Saviour of the world, would also be her Saviour too.

vs. 49 …The Mighty One has done great things for ME!

Sometimes we think that there are too many songs focused on me but here’s the truth, salvation is deeply personal.  It was for Mary and it is for us to.  God wants to meet us in that quiet place, a place of vulnerability and openness to Him.

vs. 50 …His mercy extends to those who fear Him.

Romans 3:10 states “there is no one righteous, not even one.”

Mary understood this.  We all need a Saviour.  If you’re here today and you haven’t come to that realization yet, consider this.  The woman who brought the Son of God into the world, understood that her child , Jesus, would be her Saviour.

And if you need a Saviour today, it’s really quite simple to receive Him.

Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

2.            God’s Kingdom is “Upside Down” to the way the world thinks

In vs. 51 – 53 Mary speaks of things that could only have been revealed to her by the Holy Spirit.  Most of the people in Israel were looking for a Messiah who would take down the Roman empire by force and set himself up as a king and deliverer over Israel.  They were looking for a revolutionary.

But in these verses, Mary has some insight into what Jesus’ kingdom will really be like.  It will be an upside-down kingdom in the eyes of the world.

…He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts

…He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble

…He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty

What are some examples of our upside-down kingdom and the way God has shown that to you personally?

•             the first will be last

When I got my first full time job as a youth pastor, my prof at Seminary said, “well, you were a dark horse!”

•             in your weakness will be your strength

•             God picks those who the world picks last…the choosing of David, the youngest…

The way of Jesus is countercultural. It is upside-down and inside-out—a kingdom, where weakness is power, power is weakness, and suffering leads to glory.

Really, it is the world that is upside down – God’s kingdom is what brings it back to normal.  Turns it right side up.

What Mary was saying was that Jesus came for everyone.  One preacher said it this way. 

“The humble are valued by God, and even the arrogant can humble themselves and become right with God.  The oppressed can find mercy and help.  The oppressors can stop their oppression, and find grace.  Those who are weak can be strong in God.  The strong can admit their weakness apart from God, and find true strength.”

Jesus wants to take your life and put it right-side up today.

3. God is a God of Covenant

God keeps His promises.  Mary spoke about God’s faithfulness to His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever.  This is a reference to God’s covenant with Abraham and his descendants…the children of Israel.

He had promised them not only a vast land and numerous descendants, but also a deliverer.  A Messiah.  And at last, the Messiah was to come to them through Mary.

So Mary believed and in believing, she had revealed to her some incredible insight into the plan of God for the saving of the world. 

But there is one more thing I want to note about Mary – even beyond her faith.

She did believe, and that made an incredible difference in her attitude toward this whole scenario.  But she did more than believe. 

She EMBRACED what God was doing through her and she took it on as a joy. 

How do we know that?  Well, look at the song of praise we just spoke about.  As Elizabeth prophesied over her, her response was one of worship to God for what He was doing through her life. 

She was EMBRACING what God had planned for her as the mother of Jesus. 

She took the responsibility on whole-heartedly.  Later at the stable, after the shepherds had gone, we’re told that Mary “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

 That’s the kind of thing you say about a mother who is embracing what is happening to her. 

She and Joseph made sure that Jesus was presented for consecration at the temple.  Vs. 39 of Luke 2 says that “Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord…” with respect to raising Jesus. 

When He was 12 they took Him to the temple for Passover.  It’s the picture of a mother…and a father, who were embracing the responsibility of parenthood.

You see, believing in Jesus is one thing.  Lots of people believe in Jesus – they believe he lived and was a great teacher and that He died – some even believe he was raised from the dead – but they still haven’t EMBRACED Him for themselves.

Now to me, that’s what owning the miracle of Christmas is all about.

Mary made her faith in Jesus, personal.

Mary had a choice to make. She could play a role in this first Christmas story and just be a player in the miracle of the incarnation

OR 

she could literally OWN the miracle for herself?  Embrace the plan that God had for her life and be changed by what God was doing through her?

It took great faith for her to EMBRACE what was happening to her.  But what a difference it made! 

Remember Elizabeth’s words…”Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.” Just for a minute, picture that scenario in your minds … how it might have played out.

Now…you might be here today and you’ve never owned the miracle of Christmas for yourself.  Maybe you’ve always believed IN the story; that God sent Jesus on that first Christmas to be born in a manger – but you’ve never EMBRACED the truth for yourself.

Today is the day of salvation!

My thanks to Duane McLean for his insights compiled in this post!

Overwhelmed by Wonder!

Every Christmas growing up my parents would make us reenact the Christmas story and it was always a good laugh.  I mean someone had to play the donkey so throw the brown blanket on one of us.  Rhonda was Mary and everyone else took their roles.  It was easy being a shepherd for the play because all they did was just show up!   However, as we will see, the fact that the shepherds were the first to hear the good news is no small story and God showed up in a huge way!

The shepherds lived most of the year outside, away from the townspeople. "Abiding in the field" "they were the true outdoorsmen”  Shepherds were constantly with their sheep, since the sheep were vulnerable to all kinds of trouble They had to move about during the rainless summer and to stay for months at a time in isolated areas, far from the owner's home. So, herding sheep was an independent and responsible job.

It was also significant to note that Migdel Eder is also right by Bethlehem as Micah 4:8 prophecies!  Here is where the perfect, spotless lambs were kept for the temple sacrifice and here is where the final sacrifice for our sins was born!

I want to talk about the overwhelming sense of wonder that was felt by the shepherds in
Luke 2:8-20  

Wonder Is Found In Simplicity v8

Now to understand why God got in contact with the shepherds, let’s skip forward ahead about 32 years or so and see what Jesus is doing. Because if we watch Him I think what we will discover is the plan was found in complete simplicity.

We also need to understand what God was up to on that first Christmas night and so let's take a moment to watch where Jesus showed up during his time on earth.  Here are two clear examples for us to see and both of them we can find in this gospel of Luke. So let's take a look at them one at a time.

Brennan Manning in his book, The Ragamuffin Gospel, says this about how intimate this act of meal sharing is. He says this, "Sadly the meaning of meal sharing is largely lost in the Christian community today. In the Near East, to share a meal with someone is a guarantee of peace, trust, fraternity and forgiveness. The shared table symbolizes the shared life. For an Orthodox Jew to say I would have dinner with you is a metaphor implying I would like to enter into friendship with you. To extend a dinner invitation is to say, come to the miniature sanctuary of my dining room table where we will celebrate the most sacred and beautiful experience that life affords. "Friendship." That's what Zacchaeus heard when Jesus called him down and invited him to dinner. And that's why Jesus practice of ‘going out for lunch’ caused such hostile comments from the very beginning in his ministry.

Look at Luke 5:27-32.   This time it involves Levi, the tax collector, who we later know as the disciple Matthew who wrote the first gospel.

So let's again reference back to that. Go back to Luke 2, 8 and 20. We have heard this story now. So you don't really need to read it again, but think about it. Of all the people that God could have announced the birth of Emmanuel to. God with us. The Savior. The Messiah. This long awaited One. You know if you want to get the word out, there would seem to be more influential people, more together people that you would want to go and make this announcement to.

One theologian remarks  that shepherds were those whose daily occupation rendered them ceremonially unclean and not in the Pharisee's eyes to be associated with. And because of the shepherd's job to be out in the fields, to be with the sheep, they literally were considered unclean. But being out there with the manure, with the uncleanness of the animal, they could not go into the temple until they were ceremonially cleaned and that was a big deal. And yet on this momentous night, who does the Father go straight to on purpose and with such a glorious show, do you think he was trying to make a point? I think so. Not only a point, but just as Jesus did again, Jesus was taking his cue from the Father making a very intimate point.  God, our Father, calls us into intimacy, community and He calls everyone, even the most unlikely!

Some of Israel's great heroes were shepherds -- Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. Both Psalm 23 and Jesus compare God's care to that of a Good Shepherd. But in the First Century, it seems, shepherds -- specifically, hireling shepherds -- had a bad reputation.

However, Jesus distinguishes between the good shepherd and the hired farm hand. (John 10:11-13). He tells a parable of the shepherd leaving the ninety-nine sheep in the fold while searching the hills to find the missing one (Luke 15:3-7). Perhaps this is because Jesus, who has fellowship with the despised and sinners, knows and appreciates them as people. 

Wonder Is Reflected In Glory  v9-14   

One minute the shepherds are talking quietly in the darkness of the winter sky. The next moment the hillside is ablaze with light and booming with the sound of an angel's voice."An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified." (2:9)

This appearance wasn't at a distance, but upfront and personal. "Appeared" is the Greek verb ephistemi, which here means "to stand at or near a specific place." Often this use of the verb occurs with the idea of suddenness.
The brightness is more than just mega-candlepower. It is the radiance of God's own glory. Doxa!!  Here it refers to "the condition of being bright or shining, brightness, splendor, radiance." Throughout the Old Testament the presence of God is referred to as overwhelmingly bright, burning as fire in the way that God spoke to Moses, led his people through the desert at night.
God's angels sometimes bear this same bright glory In this case the glory shines around the whole area .The result in the shepherds is predictable -- abject terror. "Terrified"
This Good News angel has the enviable task of being the first herald of Messiah's birth. "Bring good news" is the Greek verb evangelizo, from which we get our English word, "evangelize." Later in the New Testament it is widely used for "proclaim the message of salvation, preach the gospel.The message the angel brings is very good news that results in joy. "Joy" and it is joy intensified – great joy!!
Notice how broad is the angel's message. It's not for just the devout or pure of heart or the Jew, but "for all the people." It is truly amazing and wonderful news for all those who are apart from God and struggling with the purpose of life.
Shepherds were about as low on the social scale as it was possible to get.. They were the strangers in most minds that first night, but not with God.  Am I making myself clear? Isn’t it amazing? Isn’t it astonishing that God would say, “You know, the first people who are going to hear the message of the birth of My Son, the Savior, the Messiah, are one of the most despised group of people in that society. Isn’t that amazing?

Christmas is a glorious time for us to celebrate the birth of our King Jesus.  He is the absolute glory of God and our brightest hope.  This season once again gives us an incredible opportunity as I heard today that over 50% of Canadians polled say they will attend some type of religious service so I invited my whole hockey team to our Christmas

Eve service!  The beauty of Christmas to me is found in the verses of 2 Corinthians 3:18 where it states, And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.  We as followers of Jesus are being transformed, we radiate the glory of  the Lord and just like Peter and John in Acts 4, my prayer is that people will see that we have been with Jesus. 

Wonder creates a sense of urgency! v15,16

One of the greatest joys for parents is to watch our children open their presents to exclaim… this is what I’ve always wanted.  The shepherds didn’t hesitate.  They didn’t doubt, they believed!

Wonder compels us to respond! v17-20

When God meets His people and speaks to them, they cannot either forget His word nor can they be unaffected by it. They worshipped, and they shared it. They had known the revelation of God, and it changed them.
True worship comes only when we have seen and heard God. It comes as a response to Him. Following that worship the message does not depart from the people; rather it creates a deep and irresistible desire to share that message.
So what can we do with this? How can we live differently this Christmas season in light of what we see God, Jesus, Levi and Zacchaeus and the shepherds doing? Can we make an agreement? That over the holidays we look for strangers in our midst? Would you imitate both the Father and Son as they made it their point to seek out those taking up the margins of their world?
Wait, wait, wait  Jack. Are you asking that I go out to the outcast, out there and reach out to them? Yes I am. And for some of you that might literally mean like going out to the street, a soup kitchen, the homeless shelters, where you can roll up your sleeve and be the gospel to those people. God is going to call some of you to do that and you need to be listening for it.

For most of us though, I want you to look for the stranger that may be right in your midst. Where there is a sole part of your routine that you don't even see him anymore. You know, what this might look like is going out of your way at the office Christmas party that's coming up to look for that awkward person or that person not like you and make your way to them. Now can I be so bold as to say, and don't just be polite. Try to connect with them. Be curious about them. Listen with your hearts. That's the start of intimacy.

Or maybe you've got a neighborhood Christmas party coming up. How about going out of your way to meet the people that you normally would avoid or at least the people that you don't naturally gravitate to, you don't talk to them because they are not like you or maybe they are not easy. Being an aroma of the gospel to those neighbors. Maybe you are a student. What would it look like this Christmas season to get outside of your comfortable and safe group to go across those lines? Find someone you could sit down with at lunch, in a class or a sporting event. Pursue them on a personal level and listen with care.

So, why would we do this? You know, to be honest. To go out of our way for these kind of people, it's a least a few things. It's uncomfortable. It's extra work. It can be awkward. There is risk involved and sometimes you know frankly it can be messy. Why would we do this? We do this because like Zacchaeus, Jesus has called us by name. He said, I want you. A Savior has been born for you!   I want to have fellowship with you. He wants to know us and has called us by name and we can do this because out of that overflow, that memory that Jesus has called us by our name, we have an unbelievable Christmas gift to share with others.

So again, if I could be so bold, if you would do this I will guarantee you two things. Two things I will guarantee you. That you will get at least two presents this Christmas. The first present you will receive if you do this, is joy. It's always the key byproduct of living outside yourself and in line with God and Jesus.

And secondly, I will guarantee you this present as well, you will be surprised. People because they bare the image of God are amazing creations. Be prepared to be surprised by their character and their stories if you allow them to connect with you and you listen.

So, we see in these passages that we read and many others, Jesus going on purpose to the left out, the sinners, the marginalized, and in his teachings in ministry he includes Samaritans, prostitutes, demon possessed, and strangers. Now why? Why would we do this? Well, we know obviously from his words much of the motivation that made him do this. He said, "I have come to call the righteous, not sinners." The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. And God knew exactly what He was doing that first night of Christmas