Kevin Edlefson - December 13, 2015
Out of the Darkness - 3
Do we recognize when Jesus is coming into our lives? Do we value him enough to be inconvenienced by him, knowing that he is always willing to be inconvenienced by us.
From Series: "Out of the Darkness"
One of the familiar sights we see every year at Christmas is the nativity, a depiction of the stable with the Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus in the manger. These scenes are usually populated with shepherds, wise men, animals and angels - all under the watchful long-tailed star. But what about the other characters that are in the gospel accounts of Jesus birth? Not everyone was quick to kneel in adoration. Some couldn’t quite believe the good news they had waited so long to hear. Some were embarrassed by this child. Some saw him only as an inconvenience. Some even viewed him as a threat. The crowd around the miraculous birth was filled with people that, unfortunately, we might identify with all too well. John’s gospel tells us that Jesus’ birth was like the light of the world entering our darkness. Jesus says that people loved the darkness and avoided coming into the light for fear that they would be exposed. This Christmas season, can we be brave enough to admit that we are like some of these less-than-perfect characters in the story? And can we make the courageous choice to come out of the darkness?