A simple Christmas lesson …
The world is not seeking out the church.
Thus, the church must seek out the world with its mission and message.
Just like long ago, on that first Christmas …
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life,” John 3:16.
God didn’t wait on the world to seek Him, He took action! Here’s a few steps we can learn from that first Christmas:
1. We need to love the lost the way God did. We won’t give or serve the way we need to until we do.
2. Then we need to give our very best, our all. God did. He gave Jesus.
3. We need to have the right mission with the right message: reach the lost with the Good News that “… whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
Christmas needs to be so much more than something we celebrate; it needs to be something we emulate.
Scotty
December 8, 2011 at 1:31 am
It's AWFULLY hard for someone to love "the lost" when they are utterly insecure in their Heavenly Father's love for them. Till a person understands the security of God's love for them, I'd guess there's little chance they'll risk loving others. Why do we so often do a lousy job of communicating that within the church? (sigh)
December 8, 2011 at 3:59 pm
Great message Scotty. Short, sharp, and to the point. I love it and I wish we'd all learn the value of this message that "… whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
December 8, 2011 at 11:35 pm
Thanks Chris! The church desperately needs to get back to that message, doesn't it? Christmas is a good reminder … if we get our minds onto the reason for the season.
December 8, 2011 at 11:37 pm
Kevin, I think part of the reason is the church — yes, the CHURCH — does very little to focus on the fact that it's God's intent that we mature into the likeness of Jesus Christ. If we were actually discipling people, and doing so until spiritual maturity, we could love as Christ loved and follow in His steps. The problem is, the church is drastically off mission.