The Gift of Place 🌟 Message 3

🌟 The Gift of Place 🌟 Message 3

The Christmas story is about real people: Mary and Joseph, Zachariah and Elizabeth.  But it’s also about real places: Bethlehem, Judea, a stable and a manger.  All those places and spaces and locations in the Christmas story, they all matter.  And they all say something about Jesus.  

Scriptures | Matthew 2; Luke 2:8-20 

Announcement to shepherds
Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord. This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”

When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go right now to Bethlehem and see what’s happened. Let’s confirm what the Lord has revealed to us.” They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw this, they reported what they had been told about this child. Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them. Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully. The shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Everything happened just as they had been told. ~ Luke 2:8-20 (Common English Bible)

Question 1 | You don’t have to have heard the sermon from Sunday, but if you were in church, watched online, what stuck with you?

Question 2 | Why would God send angels to invite shepherds to the birth of the Messiah?  Jeremy offered four takeaways: First, “The Lord is My Shepherd.”  Meaning: The idea that God is a good shepherd is consistent through both the Old and the New Testaments.  We have a Shepherd, and the Shepherd is Good.  This is part of the character of God.  Just like shepherds guide, protect, comfort, and know their sheep, God does the same for us.  How does believing that God is a Good Shepherd change your perspective?  Your worries?  Your hopes?

Question 3 | “Shepherd everything.”  Meaning: Since Jesus is a good shepherd, we can be like him and also strive to be good shepherds.  No matter what happens in our life, good, bad, or indifferent, we can shepherd anything.  We can shepherd our marriage, our kids, our vocation, our material resources.  We can shepherd our legacy, our conflicts, our transitions, our struggles, and our abundance.  What is happening in your life right now that you need to shepherd?  And how can you shepherd that thing.

Question 3 | “We can’t cause it.  We can’t control it.  But we can shepherd it.”  Meaning: There are many things outside our control, and many things we cannot cause.  But whatever “it” is, very often we can still shepherd it.  We can do this by guiding, protecting, comforting, etc.  What is something in your life now, that you cannot cause or control, but that you can shepherd?  And how can you shepherd that thing.

Question 4 | “Spread the Word.”  In this Christmas story, the shepherds were evangelists!  They spread the word about Jesus.  How can you spread the word about Jesus, especially in this season?