{"id":1463,"date":"2015-12-24T23:00:46","date_gmt":"2015-12-25T05:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/?p=1463"},"modified":"2015-12-24T21:43:14","modified_gmt":"2015-12-25T03:43:14","slug":"tell-the-good-news-be-the-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2015\/12\/24\/tell-the-good-news-be-the-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Tell the Good News, Be the Light"},"content":{"rendered":"

Currently the sermons and services are not being recorded at Calvary.<\/span>
\n Sorry for any \u00a0inconvenience this may have caused.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thursday, December 24, 2015<\/span>
\n Christmas<\/span>
\n Nativity of the Lord<\/span><\/p>\n

Old Testament Isaiah 9:2-7<\/span>
\n New Testament \u00a0Titus 2:11-14<\/span>
\n Gospel \u00a0Luke 1:1-20<\/span><\/p>\n

The time of Advent, the time of waiting for the birth of a savior can be a difficult time of the year.\u00a0 Even when it becomes Christmas, the promised Child arrives, we cannot always see the light in the darkness.\u00a0 The Babe born under a star even had a precarious birth, along with other dangers that come about following His birth.\u00a0 An angle announce to the shepherds, the lowliest of all people at the time, of the wondrous thing that has happened.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo not be afraid; for see\u2014I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11\u00a0<\/sup>to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.[1]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Maybe the shepherds made the connection to the scroll of Isiah, where we heard today; 6<\/sup>\u00a0 For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.[2]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Either way, they did go and see this Child, the one that the angle says is the Messiah, who is the Light in the darkness of the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

The things of life can get people down at this time of year.\u00a0 This is to to be a joyous and wonderful time of year.\u00a0 We get together with family and friends.\u00a0 We eat all sorts of wonderful food.\u00a0 We engage and great one another more pleasantly than the rest of the year it seems.\u00a0 There are gift exchanges all in celebration of the Messiah, whether one is willing to acknowledge it or not.\u00a0 whether someone can see the Light, the Messiah, or not, that is what Christmas is untimely about.\u00a0 His birth and the presents that we exchange are because of Him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why is it that there are so many that go hungry at this time?\u00a0 Why is this a time of depression for so many?\u00a0 They go hungry, they lack shelter and the basic necessities of life.\u00a0 They may have a difficult time in seeing the joy that we celebrate coming into the world.\u00a0 People are sick and dying and it would not be far for some to say that they are mad at the world\u2026\u2026.they are mad at God for the lives that the must live.\u00a0 They are made at anyone or anything that represents God.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, that is the reality for some people.\u00a0 You might even say that at this time of the year, it might seem more like a Good Friday, without being able to see the good in it.\u00a0 How did we get from the birth of a savior to walking on deaths door?<\/span><\/p>\n

It is not difficult to walk down the road of darkness when the stuff of life comes your way and then especially at a time of year where you can see so many celebrating, partaking in the festivities and yet, you do not feel welcomed in.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maybe you just started a new job but you are not on the \u201cinside circle\u201d and have been excluded.\u00a0 How about moving to a new area and the welcome is less than what you expected or not at all.\u00a0 That new job you have, and you don\u2019t do things the way the last person did, so others get upset.\u00a0 They continually compare you to the last person, look for reasons to dislike you.\u00a0 It may only be few, but they are vocal and others begin to listen and believe what they are saying.\u00a0 You feel as though you want to crawl into a corner and die.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where is the redemption, where is that Messiah you have heard about?\u00a0 When do you get to see the Light that has come into the world and celebrate with the others?\u00a0 Will you ever be able to celebrate where you are at or does there need to be a dramatic change.\u00a0 A change in jobs again, a change in location?\u00a0 You are hopeful that you will be accepted for who you are and there is a change, a change in how others see you.\u00a0 A change of acceptance for just who you are.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, I again ask, where is that Messiah that the angle spoke about?\u00a0 Jesus\u2019 life was not all roses either.\u00a0 That is the point of our Messiah, God who is of human flesh.\u00a0 The Messiah who experiences sorrows, scarcity, darkness all around, yet also experiences all of the joy in life and the joy of the Father.<\/span><\/p>\n

After Jesus\u2019s birth, he was named.\u00a0 Not named right away mind you. Babies do not often live to be even named.\u00a0 There are many who die before the naming.\u00a0 Jesus faced other troubles too.<\/span><\/p>\n

King Herod, after speaking with the wise men, seeks to have Jesus killed.\u00a0 In doing so, all the male babies in the area, two years and younger are killed.\u00a0 Fortunately, Jesus and his family have escaped before His own life is taken.<\/span><\/p>\n

The gospels tell of the dangers that Jesus faces and in such, we can be assured that He understands us, and in turn God does as well.\u00a0 When we hear of the death and resurrection of Jesus later in the year, we can trust in the connection of Jesus for all of humanity.\u00a0 That is, we have faith in what is promised to us.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although Jesus was born over 2,000 years ago, His Light can still be seen today. We may not be able to see Jesus but we have faith that Jesus is there and will come again.\u00a0 Where is the light then?\u00a0 Where can we see the Messiah?\u00a0 He is in each and everyone of His followers.\u00a0 You and I are the light to the nations.\u00a0 Jesus is inside each of us.\u00a0 We know this because we are told it is so in the Bible.<\/span><\/p>\n

It can be difficult if not impossible for some see the light of Christ inside of themselves.\u00a0 It may even be difficult for some to even comprehend this.\u00a0 But, this is where you come in.\u00a0 You, the faithful, the Christ followers, are called to be the light to the nations.\u00a0 We are called to be the hands and feet; we are called to be the body of Christ here on earth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where is the Messiah?\u00a0 All around us, because Jesus told us that where two or more are gathered in His name, He will be there.\u00a0 Seek out someone who is having difficulty in seeing the Light.\u00a0 Be the light of Christ.\u00a0 Welcome the stranger, be accepting of changes, embrace those who are different, provide for the poor, cloth those in need and be the light of Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n

Go out and proclaim the good news.\u00a0 Be part of the good news, not just at this season, but always.\u00a0 Find someone who is down, emotionally beat-up, bedraggled, burnt-out, in need of the Light either emotionally or physically and be that light.\u00a0 It is then that we begin to experience all that Jesus came to be, the \u201c\u2026Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.\u201d[3]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

When we do this, it is then that we know that Jesus\u2019 \u201c\u2026authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace\u201d. [4]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Proclaim and be the good news of the Lord and Savior, the Messiah of the World, tell it to all you see!\u00a0 Be the Light to all you see!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Lk 2:10\u201311.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Is 9:6.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Is 9:6.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Is 9:7.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Currently the sermons and services are not being recorded at Calvary. Sorry for any \u00a0inconvenience this may have caused. Thursday, December 24, 2015 Christmas Nativity of the Lord Old Testament Isaiah 9:2-7 New Testament \u00a0Titus 2:11-14 Gospel \u00a0Luke 1:1-20 The time of Advent, the time of waiting for the birth of a savior can be … [Read more…]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[77,101,87,49,29,21,78,3,42,10,79,83,4,104],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-admin","4":"post-1463","6":"format-standard","7":"category-acceptance","8":"category-change","9":"category-christ","10":"category-christmas","11":"category-community","12":"category-faith","13":"category-gospel","14":"category-grace","15":"category-healing","16":"category-jesus","17":"category-light","18":"category-sermon","19":"category-spirit","20":"category-tradition"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2m6h5-nB","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1977,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2017\/12\/24\/quietly-in-the-night-christmas-2017-message\/","url_meta":{"origin":1463,"position":0},"title":"Quietly 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Wright. 1\u00a0In the beginning was the Word. 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