The Reason that We're Here

Introduction

We’re here. December 25, Christmas Day. The Second coldest day of 2022, I believe this weekend is the coldest it has been since the 1940s, but yet we’ve taken time to come to Union Grove. When I began to take into account all of that, I began to question the fact, Why are we here? I’ve had several people to call me and encourage me to do a virtual service, play a rerun of an old service, or just plan cancel service, but yet we are here at this very moment, and I began to ask, why?

The one word question, “why?” is a reflection question. It is to consider reasoning for why we say, think, answer, or do something. When considering a teacher and a student, a lot of times a student can do something, but have a hard time knowing why?

This one word question should be pondered on by the members of the Body of Christ? Why? I’m not referring to “why God says and does somethings, but rather we should question why WE do things.” What is our motives, what is our reasoning? In particular for today, What is the reason why we are here? Now I know I used the Word, “we” but I need you to consider yourself today.

Background

Our text today is something I like to rarely do, it’s 2 different texts. We have the events following the birth of Jesus Christ. We know and understand that The Virgin Mary has given birth to the Son of the Living God with her husband Joseph there with her. Yet I focus my attention for this Christmas Sunday Morning on the other individuals in the Christmas Story. Those particular individuals who had a special invitation to see the Christ Child. We see in Luke the Shepherds, who while tending to the sheep was informed by an Angel that in Bethlehem there was a Savior born to you, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Shepherds were considered a low end job. They were typically not really educated. They did not make a lot of money. The were responsible for leading, feeding, protecting, and procuring rest for their flock.

Then in the Christmas story we see the Magi, whom we regard as the wise men. Now, the Bible never says how many there were, we assume because of the 3 different gifts that there was 3 different wise men, but the Bible never says explicitly that there were 3. Yet, the number of the Wise Men is not important. Matthew’s account tells us that the Wise Men came from the East. These men traveled thousands of miles to see this child, born king of the Jews, bringing gifts of Gold, incense, and myrrh. These Wise Men were wealthy and most Theologians agree that they were not Jews.

As I was preparing for this message, I began to question the text. Why is the shepherd and Wise Men there? There isn’t a Priest in the story, there is a Pharisee, Sadducee, or Scribe in the story. So why is the Shepherd and Wise Men there?

Body

That made me think about it in the context of us today? What is the reason that we’re here today in Church? Why do we come to Sunday School, Bible Study, Prayer, and Sunday Service? Why do we read our bibles and pray? Is it because I feel like it?

Can I submit to you that if your reason for coming to church is attached to a feeling, maybe you should reconsider? Why is that Pastor? If I am to be honest, I don’t always FEEL like being in Church every Sunday. I don’t always feel like preaching. Sometime there is days I don’t feel like even getting out of bed. So, I can’t attach reasons to feelings because if I set my reasons to how I feel, I would be sometime-y, in and out, maybe here, maybe not. You know feelings change. You remember how you felt about that man or woman you were with that time (or maybe you with now) in the beginning couldn’t nobody tell you nothing, when you came around everyone knew you were happy, you were just GLOWING, one the phone with em’ 24/7, had a date 4 times a week, but then somehow, someway the feelings changed and then you couldn’t even look at the person the same way, why? because your feelings changed.

So I’m not here because of my feelings, so why am I here? Why did I come to church? As a matter of fact, why do I come to church? I can’t answer that question for you? I can’t answer for Deacon Charlie, Sister Tishona, or even my Wife Minister Kendra.

Conclusion

But I can tell you the answer for me. The reason I’m here is because of the same reason, the Wise Men traveled thousands of miles, the reason I’m here is the same reason the shepherd left their fields and went to Bethlehem, The reason I’m here is the same reason, Simon Peter left the his Job as a fisherman, the reason I’m here is the same reason Jairus left his sick daughter at home, the reason I’m here is the same reason the woman with the issue of blood pressed her way in the crowd, the reason I’m here is the same reason the Centurion solder had to change his beliefs, The reason i’m here is the same reason my grandmother came. The reason I am here is because of

Adams Redeemer...

God’s only son

Mary’s baby boy

James and Jude elder brother

Distinctive in supernatural capacity

Superlative in sovereign majesty

Exclusive in Spiritual beauty

Radiant in eternal splendor

Matchless in supernal deity

God of gods

Prince of princes

Pharos of Ten Thousand

Bright and Morning Star

Rose of Sharon

Lily of the Valley

Ancient of Days

Dayspring of Israel

Root of Jesse

Stump of David

King of Israel

HIS NAME IS JESUS and HE IS THE REASON THAT WE’RE HERE. HE’S THE REASON FOR THE SEASON AND THE NEXT SEASON AND THE NEXT SEASON AND THE NEXT SEASON.

As a matter of fact, take off “for the season.”.. he’s just the reason

The reason I woke up this morning,

The reason I have a transportation

The reason I have a roof over my head

The reason I have joy in my soul

The reason I have peace in my mind

The reason I have love in my heart

The reason I have a dance in my feet

The reason I have a clap in my hand

The reason I have a song in my heart

The reason I am saved

The reason I am sanctified

The reason I am filled with the Holy Ghost

Jesus is the Reason

AND I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT IS THERE ANYBODY THAT DON’T MIND TESTIFYING WITH ME THAT WHEN I THINK....