All have sinned…

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:5-10, ESV)

If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves.

When we say some don’t  belong because of their sin, we are not walking in the light of our own sinfulness and seeing the only way we stand is through Him. He is the one who makes all able to stand before the throne, for without Him we are all buried deep in our sin.

We must walk in the light and see ourselves and others as God sees us, through the life of Jesus!

not willing…

Therefore I send you prophets, sages, and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, so that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly I tell you, all this will come upon this generation. ‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you, desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” ’ (Matthew 23:34-39, NRSV)

The Lord wishes to gather us under His wing as a mother hen gathers her chicks to protect them. But when He does this, we say, “Why is she here?” And someone else says, “Why is he here?” “They don’t belong here, do you know what they have done?”

We get so hung up on pointing out the sins of the other, we over look the things that they would see in us that would keep us from being included. We kill the prophets and stone the ones who will help us see God. We can not see things different from what we know to be the truth, yet God is the only one who knows the truth and who is welcome. We need to not look at others sins, but look at the one that makes us worthy to be under His protection and allow Him to protect who is there with us.

The prophets and the ones sent are there to help us know God better. Let’s listen to them, and learn with them who we are all in God!

unlikely witnesses…

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (Luke 2:8-20, NRSV)

The shepherds were out in the fields with their sheep and the angels call them to come and see the birth of the Messiah!

The Messiah should have been born in a castle, in a royal palace, but He was born in a pen for animals.

He should have had dignitaries and important people at His birth, but God send shepherds!

Shepherds were not able to make a statement in court and have it hold up. They were liars and cheats. They could not be trusted. Yet these are the ones, the angels herald to come and be the witness of the birth of the King of Kings!

We need to be humble and know that we are like the lowly shepherds. Called to witness the King of Kings and take Him to those who walk in the dark.

It’s not about the manger, it is the whole story, of Jesus born to this world, made alive in the flesh to show us how to live. To show us how to make Him known to this world.

Be a shepherd, a lowly servant, and herald the message of the birth of the King!

light has shined!

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. 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. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time on-wards and for evermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:2-7, NRSV)

Have you ever walked through a dark room…

It is scary (especially if you have children…)…

You could walk into something, step on something…

But the littlest light makes all the difference in the darkness…

And here we have the best light of all!

Into a dark world the light of the savior has come.

He is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace…

He has come to give us life and to show us how to live.

So let us shout from the mountain top that Jesus Christ, the light of the world, is born!