The Christmas Story

This is an actual manger of that time. Not made like we depict them, but a clay feeding trough our Savior was placed in.

Some of this is pulled from Louie Giglio's sermon tonight at PCC. Some from me.

Do you realize what we got for Christmas those thousand years ago? Man was forced to live under strict laws. The deliverance of a baby released our need for pressure and struggle and gave us freedom and a child named Emmanuel.

I know my life is a mess honestly. I don't have things right or completely figured out and honestly never will. I know a lot of you are on the same page as me too. Its amazing to think though that God knew the mess we would go through even back then when Jesus was born into a manger. God didn't choose the Hilton, a Tabernacle or temple of sorts to birth Jesus, he chose a manger. Why? Because God knew and understood the mess we were in and He didn't mind saying He understood by making the Savior of the planet be born into a mess either. That wasn't clean or sanitary but are our lives honestly clean or sanitary either? We put up with a lot of mess everyday and that's what God was trying to say by birthing Jesus into what we can relate to. He made an infant baby of immaculate importance fit right into what we are used to.

So just remember this on this Christmas. Whatever mess your going through in your life, God is bigger than that. He doesn't want us to make our lives perfect and then turn to Him, He wants us to admit we are imperfect and turn to Him before we try and figure things out on our own. You know Joseph tried to figure things out on his own with Mary before the Angel of the Lord appeared to set things straight. Joe was calling up his buddy Bill and saying look, I don't know what to do with this woman, she is pregnant and I am an upstanding man and I just think I need to separate myself from her quietly as to not humiliate her. Then the Angel of the Lord came in and basically told Joseph that what he was thinking was wrong and that by a mere whisper the savior of the world was placed into his young lady's stomach, a virgin still, to be birthed and his name will be called Jesus. I bet Joseph apologized for the phone call to Bill and hushed up real quick after that visit! It's when we are like Joseph we get in trouble. It is when we try to figure out everything on our own and have all the answers God steps in and says "Woah, don't you realize there are no answers outside of me?" You have to follow God and things may seem messed up right now, but when you may be crying, someone a house over may be getting saved. So just remember God is at work in your life even if you don't see it. If things aren't clear to you right now, don't fret like Joseph, just wait it out and with prayer all things will be revealed and God will reward those who humble themselves and pray. Remember this on this Christmas day.