Embracing God's Invitations This Christmas Season

 

Summary

In this Christmas season, we find ourselves reflecting on the journey that brought us to this moment. Each of us has a unique story of how we came to be here, whether it was a sudden, unexpected encounter with God or a long, deliberate search for truth. Some of us were not looking for God at all, yet found ourselves drawn into a transformative journey. Others have been on a philosophical quest, exploring various beliefs and practices, only to find that the truth about God and life is found in Christ.

At the first Christmas, most people were unaware of the monumental event taking place. Only a few, like Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds, were aware of the significance of the birth of Jesus. The shepherds, in particular, represent those who were not actively seeking God but were surprised by a divine encounter. They responded quickly to the angel's message and shared the good news with others. This teaches us the importance of being open and responsive to God's invitations in our lives.

The need for a Savior is rooted in the reality of sin, which affects every aspect of our world and our lives. Sin is living contrary to God's design, leading to a world filled with uncertainty, danger, and dis-ease. It damages us inwardly and outwardly, and we need God's deliverance to experience the life He intended for us. Jesus, as both Savior and Lord, offers us salvation from the penalty, power, and presence of sin.

The Magi, on the other hand, represent those who are on a sincere search for God. Their journey was long and arduous, yet they were determined to find and worship the newborn King. Their story reminds us that God is always seeking us, and if we genuinely seek Him, we will find Him.

As we consider our own spiritual journeys, we are encouraged to respond to God's invitations, share the good news with others, and continue seeking Him with sincerity. This Christmas, may we be open to the opportunities God presents to us and be willing to take decisive steps toward Him.

Key Takeaways:

- Unexpected Encounters with God: Many of us find God when we least expect it, through a surprising invitation or encounter. These moments can lead to life-transforming journeys if we are open and responsive. Being receptive to God's invitations can change our lives in ways we never imagined. [42:23]

- The Reality of Sin: Sin is not just a religious concept but a social phenomenon that affects our world and lives. It leads to dis-ease, death, and damage, and we need a Savior to deliver us from its effects. Understanding the depth of sin helps us appreciate the salvation offered by Christ. [47:20]

- The Importance of Seeking God: The Magi's journey teaches us the value of sincere seeking. God is always seeking us, and if we genuinely seek Him, we will find Him. Our search for God should be authentic and persistent, leading us to a deeper relationship with Him. [01:09:25]

- Responding to God's Invitations: Like the shepherds, we should be quick to respond to God's invitations and share the good news with others. Our willingness to act on God's promptings can lead to significant spiritual growth and impact the lives of those around us. [56:07]

- The Power of Sharing Our Faith: We are called to be ambassadors for Christ, sharing our experiences and inviting others to know Him. Despite our perceived limitations, God can use our testimonies to transform lives. We should not be intimidated but boldly share the treasure of Christ within us. [01:18:12]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [42:23] - Unexpected Encounters with God
- [45:40] - The Shepherds' Response
- [47:20] - Understanding Sin and Salvation
- [56:07] - Seizing Spiritual Opportunities
- [58:40] - The Urgency of Responding to God
- [01:06:04] - The Magi's Journey
- [01:09:25] - The Significance of Sincere Seeking
- [01:14:45] - Authentic vs. Inauthentic Seeking
- [01:16:11] - God's Strategic Placement
- [01:18:12] - Sharing the Good News
- [01:23:53] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

1. Luke 2:8-20 - The Shepherds and the Angels
2. Matthew 2:1-12 - The Visit of the Magi
3. Isaiah 55:6-7 - Seek the Lord while He may be found

---

Observation Questions:

1. What was the initial reaction of the shepherds when the angel appeared to them, and how did they respond to the message? ([45:40])

2. How did the Magi know to seek out Jesus, and what was their response upon finding Him? ([01:06:04])

3. According to the sermon, what are some of the effects of sin on our world and lives? ([47:20])

4. How did the shepherds and the Magi differ in their journeys to encounter Jesus? ([01:09:25])

---

Interpretation Questions:

1. What does the shepherds' quick response to the angel's message teach about being open to divine invitations? How might this apply to modern believers? ([56:07])

2. The Magi's journey was long and challenging. What does their perseverance reveal about the nature of seeking God, and how can this be relevant to personal spiritual journeys today? ([01:09:25])

3. How does the sermon describe the concept of sin, and why is it important for believers to understand its impact on their lives and the world? ([47:20])

4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that God is actively seeking individuals, and how should this influence a believer's approach to sharing their faith? ([01:18:12])

---

Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you experienced an unexpected encounter with God. How did you respond, and what impact did it have on your spiritual journey? ([42:23])

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of seeking God sincerely. What steps can you take to ensure your search for God is genuine and persistent? ([01:14:45])

3. Consider the reality of sin as described in the sermon. How does this understanding influence your need for a Savior, and how can it deepen your appreciation for Christ's salvation? ([47:20])

4. The shepherds quickly shared the good news after encountering Jesus. How can you be more proactive in sharing your faith with others, despite any perceived limitations? ([56:07])

5. The Magi brought gifts to Jesus as an act of worship. What "gifts" or offerings can you present to God in your daily life as a form of worship and gratitude? ([01:09:25])

6. Reflect on the idea that God strategically places us in certain times and places to seek Him. How can this perspective change the way you view your current circumstances and opportunities? ([01:16:11])

7. The sermon encourages believers to seize spiritual opportunities. What specific opportunity is God presenting to you this Christmas season, and how will you respond? ([58:40])

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Divine Surprises
In our spiritual journeys, we often encounter God in unexpected ways. These divine surprises can come when we least anticipate them, through a sudden invitation or a chance encounter. The shepherds in the Christmas story exemplify this, as they were not actively seeking God but were surprised by a divine message. Their quick response to the angel's announcement and their eagerness to share the good news with others highlight the importance of being open and responsive to God's invitations. When we remain receptive to these moments, they can lead to transformative journeys that reshape our lives in profound ways. [42:23]

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9, ESV)

Reflection: Can you recall a time when you encountered God unexpectedly? How did you respond, and what impact did it have on your life?


Day 2: Understanding the Depth of Sin
Sin is more than just a religious concept; it is a pervasive reality that affects every aspect of our world and lives. It manifests as living contrary to God's design, resulting in a world filled with uncertainty, danger, and dis-ease. Sin damages us both inwardly and outwardly, creating a need for a Savior to deliver us from its effects. Jesus, as both Savior and Lord, offers salvation from the penalty, power, and presence of sin. By understanding the depth of sin, we can better appreciate the salvation offered by Christ and the transformative power it holds for our lives. [47:20]

"Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned." (Romans 5:12, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways do you see the effects of sin in your own life and the world around you? How does recognizing these effects deepen your appreciation for Christ's salvation?


Day 3: The Pursuit of God
The Magi's journey to find the newborn King is a powerful reminder of the value of sincere seeking. Their long and arduous journey demonstrates their determination to find and worship Jesus. This story illustrates that God is always seeking us, and if we genuinely seek Him, we will find Him. Our search for God should be authentic and persistent, leading us to a deeper relationship with Him. As we pursue God with sincerity, we open ourselves to the transformative power of His presence in our lives. [01:09:25]

"But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Deuteronomy 4:29, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take today to seek God more sincerely and persistently in your life?


Day 4: Responding to God's Invitations
The shepherds' response to the angel's message serves as a model for how we should respond to God's invitations. They acted quickly and shared the good news with others, demonstrating the importance of seizing spiritual opportunities. Our willingness to act on God's promptings can lead to significant spiritual growth and impact the lives of those around us. By being attentive and responsive to God's invitations, we can experience profound spiritual transformation and become conduits of His love and grace to others. [56:07]

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20, ESV)

Reflection: Is there an invitation from God that you have been hesitant to respond to? What steps can you take today to act on it?


Day 5: Sharing the Treasure of Faith
We are called to be ambassadors for Christ, sharing our experiences and inviting others to know Him. Despite our perceived limitations, God can use our testimonies to transform lives. The power of sharing our faith lies in our willingness to boldly share the treasure of Christ within us. By doing so, we can impact the lives of those around us and contribute to the expansion of God's kingdom. Let us not be intimidated but embrace the opportunity to share the good news with others, trusting that God will work through us in powerful ways. [01:18:12]

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the good news of Christ? How can you share your faith with them in a meaningful way today?

Quotes

"It would be so interesting to know how you came to be here today, this place, this time, this season, this year. And each of us would tell a different story. And what I mean by that is, how did you realize that you were ready for Christmas? I don't mean like, did you come north or south on 15? But I mean, how did you come to be here? And some of us would probably tell stories kind of like this. We'd say, you know, I was just kind of going through life, Randy. I was just working or doing whatever. I was not thinking about anything, just trying to be as happy as I knew how to be. And then suddenly someone started talking to me about God and, and I was not even interested to be truthful, but they kind of provoked my interest and then the next thing you know, they, they invited me somewhere. They invited me to a Bible study or to study the Bible with them, or they invited me to church. And I just, I just went for it. I just, you know, followed through the invitation." [00:41:14] (57 seconds)


"Never expecting, never expecting it was going to start a life transforming journey for me. And my life, Randy, it's never been the same. I was not looking for God at all. I was not searching. But suddenly I found him or he found me. I'm not sure how that works. But here I am. It's never been the same since." [00:42:11] (21 seconds)


"Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, which means the Christ, the Lord. Now, pause for a minute, because, you know, this Savior is going to be born, so obviously it's a baby, and it's the Messiah, the Christ, the one that the Jews have been waiting for for 1 ,500 years, that so many of the prophecies had pointed towards, so the one that they had waited for." [00:46:03] (24 seconds)


"But he's also the Lord. He's divine. So we have the humanity of Jesus and the divinity of Jesus right from the very start. And then, of course, he's a Savior. This will be a sign to you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly, a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God." [00:46:31] (21 seconds)


"When the angels had left and had gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing. Now, this is important. We'll come back and visit this later. But look how quickly they responded. And maybe you can think back, some of you, that your journey was easy and short. It was kind of a surprise to you. You weren't thinking about God or looking for God. But somebody invited you. And you never would have dreamt of the difference it was going to make. But you responded. You were open. You responded quickly." [00:46:47] (32 seconds)


"Listen to what it says in Isaiah, chapter 55, verse 6. It says, Seek the Lord while, while he may be found. Call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them. And to our God, for he will freely pardon." [00:58:28] (22 seconds)


"I just want you to consider that, and again, not trying to elevate fear, not trying to persuade you to make any kind of decision. You may, I may, we may never have a better opportunity than what we have this very moment to make spiritual decisions, to move toward God, to respond to God. We may never be in a better condition. Our focus may not ever be better. Our hearts may never be softer. Our enlightenment may never be greater. Our faith may never be greater than this moment, and like those shepherds, we would be wise to respond to God." [00:58:40] (32 seconds)


"And suddenly the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, one night has a wild dream. How many of you ever had some wild dreams? Yeah, sometimes you just wonder about it. But anyway, he has a wild dream. And so he decides to test out his group of counselors, which were called the wise men, the magi. And there was lots of them. He says, okay, I had this dream last night. I'm really alarmed about it. I want you guys to tell me what I dreamt. And they're like, oh, king, you don't understand how this works. You tell us your dream, and we interpret it for you. And he says, oh, no, no, no, no, you don't know how it works. I know that game. Anybody can come up with an interpretation. You can make something up. If you're really in touch with, supernatural powers, you tell me what I dreamt. And if not, I'm going to kill all of you. So this is in Daniel chapter 2. You can read it sometime on your own. Well, they're in utter panic, these wise men, these magi, these magic magicians. These guys were in touch with all the occult religions of their day. They were very wise when it came to astronomy and astrology. And astrology is not a real science. It's not to be followed. But anyway, this is who these guys were. But they were also politically wise. They were really powerful in their own way. And they were really powerful in individuals. But now they're in a dilemma. So Daniel is given the answer to the vision from God. He saves the lives. I'm going somewhere with this. Hold on. You're going to see why this means something to the magi. He saves these guys' lives, all of them. And then he's living there with them for about 70 years. So Daniel is openly sharing, you know, his God with them again and again and again. You fast forward to Daniel chapter 9 and verses 24 through 27 and Daniel 9, 24 through 27. It gives an exact timetable when the Messiah will arrive on earth." [01:07:11] (107 seconds)


"It's a 483 year period. That is why these wise men knew that it was time for the Messiah to be born. Plus, God gave them a supernatural sign, this star. It wasn't a regular star by any means. It was probably one of the chariots of fire of the Lord. We read about it in Psalm 62. You know, it says the Lord's got millions of them, whatever. It was a supernatural sign. But these guys had learned scripture from Daniel being there amongst them. So these wise men were very, very powerful, very influential, very intelligent individuals." [01:09:16] (36 seconds)


"And now they're spiritually seeking. And they come from Babylon or Persia, which would be modern day Iran. So it's about a 900 mile journey to get from there to Bethlehem. Probably would have taken about three months in those days. Dangerous journey. You can get, you know, hit by robbers along the way. Lots of things could have happened. This has not been an easy search for them. And these guys are sincere searchers. Their heart is made up that indeed, if God is bringing the Savior of the world into existence in the form of a baby, we are going to submit our lives to this baby. We are going to worship him. We want to come and give the best gifts we can give. Now let's talk about the gifts. So there's gold. Well, that's what you give to royalty." [01:09:56] (45 seconds)


Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Dec 22, 2024. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?