As I look back over the Sermon series during the month of December and we look at Joseph and Mary's journey and the roles of Elizabeth, the shepherds, the wise men, and the angels, we see that God had a mission for all whom he called upon and enabled them to complete their missions (roles) so that His plan could unfold. The good news is that His plan is still unfolding as He assigns missions to Christ's followers today. We must not look back on the birth story as an end event, but must look at it as a beginning of God's redemptive plan for the world.
As I look forward to a new year, I quite honestly feel somewhat depressed. I look back and recognize an end of another year and have trouble looking forward to a new year filled with uncertainty. I think that is the real message we need to embrace from the Christmas story...God sent a chosen few on an uncertain journey to accomplish what He had already planned. He is doing the same thing today with us. The Good News is that He has given us a Counsellor/ Guide; the Holy Spirit, to accompany us on His journey. Instead of looking back or looking at the uncertainty of the future, we need to crave the voice and the leading of His Holy Spirit. That is when the certainty of purpose and promise of success will replace the depression and fear that uncertainty brings.
Discover and Proclaim the Truth of The Bible which is: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life." (John 3:16 NRSV). Jesus came to humanity to proclaim and give evidence to that love and He has commanded us to do the same. We, who believe, must not merely be followers, but we must be proclaimers of the Gospel Message and we can only do that by being filled with the love of God.
