Everybody is a Somebody-Just Ask the Shepherds

The Christmas season reminds us over and over the true meaning and purpose that God intended it to be?

Have you ever gotten to the place where you needed to be reminded about what Christmas is all about? Charlie Brown was one of those guys...watch this 90 second video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKk9rv2hUfA

What really excites me about Christmas is that Everybody is a Somebody to God! Look who he used: Joseph and Mary, ordinary people who really wanted to live a quiet life and then we see the Shepherds receiving the news from the angels that Jesus is in a manger in Bethlehem...these misfits received the news FIRST!! Who were these Shepherds? Here are some thoughts:

1. The Shepherds were a fellowship of the forgettable.

a. They had no status in their culture.

b. They were uneducated, smelled lousy, and were considered low-class.

c. During Jesus’ time, being a shepherd was a dead-end job.

d. There was no hope for advancement.

e. They had little chance of doing anything different the rest of their life.

f. As a result, you wouldn’t want your daughter to marry one. You would want your daughter to marry better.

2. The Shepherds were people that were considered outcasts and misfits.

a. Shepherds had a hard, thankless job and it was dangerous.

b. It was their responsibility to protect the sheep from robbers and wild animals.

c. They were not considered very important.

d. As far as spiritual matters, they were considered unclean and they couldn’t participate in feasts and holy days.

e. In regard to society matters, shepherds were infamous for thievery so they were not permitted to give testimony in legal proceedings.

Here is what Max Lucado says about God choosing the Shepherds:

MAX LUCADO: “The announcement of Christmas went first to the shepherds. They didn’t ask God is he was sure he knew what he was doing.

Had the angel gone to the theologians, they would have first consulted their commentaries

Had he gone to the elite, they would have looked around to see if anyone was watching.

Had he gone to the successful, they would have first looked at their calendars.

SO He went to the shepherds. Men who didn’t have a reputation to protect or an axe to grind or a ladder to climb. Men who didn’t know enough to tell God that angels don’t sing to sheep and that messiahs aren’t found wrapped in rags and sleeping in a feed trough.

---SO, While the theologians were sleeping; the elite were dreaming; the successful were snoring; the meek were kneeling in front of Baby Jesus

Are you excited that God shows us once again that every one of us are important to His plan and purpose?

You are special; live out your purpose like the Shepherds! You are a somebody to God!

Thanksgiving

I have been up early this morning working on a sermon/outline to preach at Arial Baptist Church on Tuesday evening. Our congregation, United Wesleyan and Arial Baptist joins together each year for a Thanksgiving worship service. It starts at 7 PM on Tuesday, November 23. Join us if you can and bring a friend:

Here are some thoughts that I am working on:

Ephesians 5:19-20--"Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

1. Many times we lose perspective and cannot give God thanks during "valley times"....I think about the young lady that sent a note home to her mom from college:

"Dear Mom: Sorry I haven’t written sooner. My arm really has been broken. I broke it, and my left leg, when I jumped from he second floor of my dormitory...when we had the fire. We were lucky. A young service station attendant saw the blaze and called the Fire Department. They were there in minutes. I was in the hospital for a few days. Paul, the service station attendant, came to see me every day. And because it was taking so long to get our dormitory liveable again, I moved in with him. He has been so nice. I must admit that I am pregnant. Paul and I plan to get married just as soon as he can get a divorce. I hope things are fine at home. I’m doing fine, and will write more when I get the chance. Love,
Your daughter, Susie

P.S. None of the above is true. But I did get a "C" in Sociology and flunked Chemistry. I just wanted you to receive this news in its "Proper Perspective!"

2. There are things that steal away our thankfulness: Pride, Complaining, Neglecting to praise God

3. In reading a devotion by Greg Laurie this morning, I came across this reminder: http://www.harvest.org/devotional/archive/devotion/2010-11-22.html

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won't survive the week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 20 million people around the world. If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world. If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75 percent of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8 percent of the world's wealthy.

God help me to be thankful not only this week but each day as I depend and rely on your grace, strength and power to guide me!

Just a thought!