Lindsey Blair and Bobby Gilles recap Pastor Jonah Sage's Christmas Day homily.
Lindsey Blair and Bobby Gilles recap Pastor Jonah Sage's Christmas Day homily.
Lindsey: Welcome to the Midweek Checkup. My name is Lindsey Blair and I’m joined by Bobby Gilles. This past Sunday, we celebrated Christmas morning together, and Pastor Jonah Sage finished our series called “A Praying Christmas.”
Bobby: Pastor Jonah preached from Hebrews Four verse sixteen. He said that there in the stable, which was the throne room of God, you will receive God’s mercy. Now, for anyone who missed the sermon or needs help remembering, it’s time for the recap:
Lindsey: Jonah began by saying that the life of faith is a quest to answer the questions where do we find God, and why should we come to him?
And at Christmas, we all know where to find God. He’s in a stable. He’s surrounded by shepherds and animals, a weary mother and confused father.
Bobby: Once you know God is found in a stable, you’ll look for him everywhere. Where is God? He’s in a stable, which means he’s everywhere.
He’s with the hungry we don’t have to feed. The lonely we don’t have to comfort. We are free to turn our backs on lowly scenes, desperate situations, and people in need. But if we want to find God, we’ll go to him in the stables of our world.
Lindsey: And we come boldly, because Christmas tells us what God really thinks about us. After centuries of religious hand-wringing and rule following, he says enough with this and comes as a baby. He’ll take care of the preparations, he’ll take care of the rule following and that whole religious business. And he’ll do all that because it’s really just you he’s after. So, he comes as a baby.
Bobby: And since he came as a Baby, that tells us all we need to know about how to come to him. In the presence of God, you receive smiles and the warmest welcome. There, you will find grace to help you when you need it most.
Lindsey: He’s every place anything can ever be found. Go to him.
How? As you would a child. Plainly, directly, unafraid and unashamed.
Come without pretense, with nothing to prove and no one to impress.
And what will you find? What will you receive? Mercy. Grace. Help.
Bobby: This coming Sunday we’ll gather together at eleven a.m. for our New Year’s Day worship service. Remember there is no nine a.m. service this Sunday, and no Bible Fellowship. Join us at eleven a.m., and bring a friend.