Finding God in the Ordinary: The True Christmas Story

 

Summary

The Christmas story is a profound narrative that transcends the commercialized versions we often encounter. It is a story that begins with the humble birth of Jesus, a moment that split history into two: BC and AD. Jesus' life and teachings have revolutionized education, healthcare, the arts, and even global politics. His influence is undeniable, with 2.6 billion people today professing to be Christians. Yet, the essence of the Christmas story is not just about historical impact but about God's presence in the ordinary moments of life.

The narrative of Jesus' birth, as recorded in Luke 2, begins with seemingly mundane details—a census, a journey to Bethlehem, and a birth in a manger. These details remind us that God is present in the everyday moments, working His greatest miracles in the ordinary. Joseph and Mary’s journey, the shepherds' encounter with angels, and the humble setting of Jesus' birth all point to a God who is intimately involved in the details of our lives.

The shepherds, considered lowly and unclean, were the first to receive the news of Jesus' birth. This choice underscores that God reveals Himself to ordinary, imperfect people. It is a reminder that God’s message is for everyone, regardless of status or background. The shepherds' immediate response to the angelic announcement exemplifies the kind of faithfulness God seeks—not perfection, but a willingness to respond to His call.

Repentance is a central theme in the Christian journey. It is not about feeling shame but about changing direction, turning away from selfishness, and aligning with God's purpose. Jesus' birth invites us to repent, to change, and to embrace a life centered on worshiping Him. Worship is the response to recognizing Jesus' lordship, and it brings order to our lives.

Finally, being part of a local church is essential. It is within the community of believers that we grow, worship, and serve together. The church is not just a place to attend but a family to belong to, where we can live out our faith in unity and love.

Key Takeaways:

- The Christmas story is not just a historical event but a reminder of God's presence in the ordinary moments of life. God works His greatest miracles in the everyday, and recognizing His presence in these moments can transform our perspective and deepen our faith. [05:39]

- God reveals Himself to ordinary, imperfect people, as seen in His choice to announce Jesus' birth to shepherds. This demonstrates that God's message is for everyone, regardless of status or background, and encourages us to be open to His revelation in our lives. [19:11]

- Repentance is about changing direction and aligning with God's purpose. It is not about feeling shame but about turning away from selfishness and embracing a life centered on worshiping Jesus. This change is essential for spiritual growth and transformation. [24:28]

- Worshiping Jesus brings order to our lives. When we put God first, everything else falls into place according to His design. Worship is not about receiving something from God but acknowledging His worthiness and responding to His love and grace. [27:17]

- Being part of a local church is crucial for spiritual growth and community. The church is not just a place to attend but a family to belong to, where we can live out our faith in unity and love. Engagement in a local church is a natural response to a heart fully committed to Jesus. [30:32]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [02:24] - The Infamous Caesar Salad
- [04:48] - The True Christmas Story
- [05:39] - Jesus' Impact on History
- [06:17] - Revolutionizing the World
- [06:56] - The Reality of Jesus
- [07:57] - Josephus' Testimony
- [16:40] - The Humble Birth of Jesus
- [18:10] - Shepherds and God's Revelation
- [19:11] - God Reveals to the Ordinary
- [21:13] - Faithfulness Over Perfection
- [23:00] - Understanding Repentance
- [24:28] - The Need for Change
- [27:17] - Worship and Order
- [30:32] - The Importance of Church Community

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Luke 2:1-20

Observation Questions:
1. What were the circumstances surrounding Jesus' birth as described in Luke 2? How do these details emphasize the ordinary nature of the event? [16:40]
2. Why were the shepherds significant in the announcement of Jesus' birth, and what was their reaction to the angelic message? [18:10]
3. How did Mary respond to the events surrounding Jesus' birth, according to the passage? [25:37]

Interpretation Questions:
1. What does the choice of shepherds as the first recipients of the news about Jesus' birth suggest about God's message and who it is intended for? [19:11]
2. How does the sermon describe the concept of repentance, and why is it important in the Christian journey? [24:28]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that worshiping Jesus brings order to our lives? [27:17]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's presence in an ordinary moment. How did it change your perspective or deepen your faith? [16:40]
2. The shepherds were considered lowly and unclean, yet they were chosen to receive the good news first. How can this encourage you to be open to God's revelation in your own life, regardless of your status or background? [19:11]
3. Repentance is about changing direction and aligning with God's purpose. What is one area in your life where you feel called to change direction? How can you take a step towards that change this week? [24:28]
4. Worshiping Jesus is described as bringing order to our lives. What practical steps can you take to prioritize worship in your daily routine? [27:17]
5. Being part of a local church is essential for spiritual growth and community. How can you become more engaged in your church community, and what steps can you take to foster unity and love within it? [30:32]
6. The sermon mentions that God often works His greatest miracles in everyday moments. How can you cultivate an awareness of God's presence in your daily life, even in mundane tasks? [16:40]
7. Consider the impact of Jesus' birth on history and your personal life. How does recognizing Jesus' lordship influence your decisions and actions today? [05:39]

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing God's Presence in the Ordinary
In the Christmas story, the birth of Jesus is marked by humble and ordinary circumstances—a census, a journey, and a manger. These details highlight that God is present in the everyday moments of life, working His greatest miracles in the ordinary. This narrative invites us to see God's hand in our daily lives, transforming our perspective and deepening our faith. By acknowledging His presence in the mundane, we can experience a profound sense of peace and purpose. [05:39]

"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43:19, ESV)

Reflection: What ordinary moment in your life today can you invite God into, asking Him to reveal His presence and purpose?


Day 2: God's Revelation to the Ordinary and Imperfect
The announcement of Jesus' birth to the shepherds, who were considered lowly and unclean, underscores that God's message is for everyone, regardless of status or background. This choice demonstrates that God reveals Himself to ordinary, imperfect people. It encourages us to be open to His revelation in our lives, knowing that He values our willingness to respond to His call over our perfection. [19:11]

"For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong." (1 Corinthians 1:26-27, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you feel inadequate or unworthy? How can you open yourself to God's revelation and purpose in that area today?


Day 3: Repentance as a Change of Direction
Repentance is a central theme in the Christian journey, inviting us to change direction and align with God's purpose. It is not about feeling shame but about turning away from selfishness and embracing a life centered on worshiping Jesus. This change is essential for spiritual growth and transformation, allowing us to live a life that reflects God's love and grace. [24:28]

"Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." (Acts 3:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific area in your life where you need to change direction? How can you take a step towards aligning with God's purpose today?


Day 4: Worship as a Source of Order
Worshiping Jesus brings order to our lives. When we put God first, everything else falls into place according to His design. Worship is not about receiving something from God but acknowledging His worthiness and responding to His love and grace. This act of worship reorients our priorities and brings a sense of peace and order to our lives. [27:17]

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33, ESV)

Reflection: How can you prioritize worship in your daily routine this week? What changes can you make to ensure that God is first in your life?


Day 5: The Importance of Church Community
Being part of a local church is crucial for spiritual growth and community. The church is not just a place to attend but a family to belong to, where we can live out our faith in unity and love. Engagement in a local church is a natural response to a heart fully committed to Jesus, providing support, accountability, and opportunities to serve others. [30:32]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively engage with your church community this week? What steps can you take to build deeper relationships and serve others within your church family?

Quotes

In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, to the town of David, because he belonged to the house in the line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. [00:00:18]

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in clothes and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. [00:00:49]

Jesus took 12 men, a random ragtag group of fishermen and tax collectors, and sparked the biggest global movement our world has ever seen, with 2.6 billion people professing to be a Christian. You know, everybody believes in Jesus. They believe that he exists or existed as a person in history. Even non-Christians will testify to this. We even have first century writings from people like Tacitus, Suetonius, and Pliny the Younger. [00:07:08] (34 seconds)


The Bible says that God works all things together for good. It talks about beauty for ashes, joy for mourning. And just because God can meet you in something and cause the best to come out of it doesn't mean God intended or wanted that to happen in the first place. [00:16:23] (17 seconds)


And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David, a savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord. [00:17:25] (0 seconds)


This will be a sign to you. You will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger. So the very first people that God chooses to announce this historic event to is shepherds. Why is that significant? Well, shepherds were people of very low status. Even in Jewish culture, they were constantly ritually unclean. From touching dead animals or blood. So they would not have been probably most of the time ritually clean. [00:17:49] (31 seconds)


And this is something that as Jesus got older, he encouraged his followers to do. He said this, he declared it in Matthew 4. His primary message was this, repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near. I think that word repent is one of the most misunderstood words in the entire Bible. The first time I ever remember hearing the word repent was someone out on the street corner yelling at a big crowd, repent, you all suck. [00:21:45] (28 seconds)


And I literally thought repent meant you should feel really, really terrible about yourself. You should feel awful. You should feel like crud. I thought that's what repent meant. But feeling bad about yourself, there's a difference thing. Guilt is feeling bad about something you've done. Shame is feeling bad about who you are. And so that's not repentance, that's shame. And shame is not good. That's not of God. To repent literally means to change, to change direction. [00:22:26] (27 seconds)


Verse 19, it says, but Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned glorifying God and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. So they worshiped. The angels were worshiping Jesus. The shepherds worshiped Jesus. The Bible tells us that even all of creation worshiped Jesus. In Luke 19, Jesus says, I tell you, if these people keep silent, the stones will cry out in praise. [00:26:14] (33 seconds)


The Bible says that, Seek first his kingdom. kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. When you and I worship Jesus, when we put him first in our life, every single thing in our life will start to come into order. If you and I do not put God first in our life, if we do not worship him, if we worship money or ourselves or anything else in this entire world, our entire life will come out of order because it's outside of God's original design and intent for us. [00:27:56] (34 seconds)


It's possible to attend church and not know Jesus, but you cannot be all in for Jesus and not be an active part of his church. That's the response. So the goal is not church attendance. It's all in heart for Jesus. And the response to that will be engagement within the local church. [00:30:32] (17 seconds)


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Transcript
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