The Kid

People wont care about putting Christ in Christmas, until they begin to see Christ in the Christian.

Tell Story - Getting a flashlight for Christmas - not me

The gifts we receive at christmas tell us a bit about who we are.

If everyone you know gets you clothes for Christmas, then maybe that says that you’re a person who loves fashion.

If everyone got you something related to video games, you’re a gamer.

If everyone got you cash or a gift card, it says that you’re picky, and everyone was too scared to buy you something.

In the same way, sometimes it’s hard to know who Christmas is for.

You might wonder if Christmas is for you if you’ve grown up in a church, and you’re tired of hearing the same old Christmas story every year.

You might wonder if Christmas is for you if someone you love is sick or a family member recently died, and you can’t imagine feeling happy this year.

You might wonder if Christmas is for you if you’re questioning your faith, and you’re no longer sure this Jesus thing is real.

You might wonder if Christmas is for you if you feel like someone who’s constantly excluded.

If thats you, Im grateful you're here because this whole Jesus thing can change the game for you.

Context on the Christmas Story

God’s answer was a Kid.

Luke 2:8–16 NIV

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

What is a shepherd? - Low life, stinky, not someone you'd trust with valuable info

God could have delivered the message to anyone…but…

God is for everyone.

Read 15-16 again - God changed how these shepherds saw themselves

Wise men and herod

Matthew 2:7–11 “Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”

God is for everyone, so his birth was announced to everyone.

the Kid shows us that Christmas is for everyone.

God is for you. God wants you to know that. The people around you may have labeled who they think you are, but like the shepherds, God doesn’t have the same opinion. God says you’re valuable, precious, worthy.

God is for others. God doesn’t categorize people as “important” or “unimportant.” We are all valuable to God—every single person. Whether you’ve labeled or categorized, or you’ve been the one labeled or categorized, the Kid means God is for you—for everyone.

Because the Kid changes how you see yourself and everyone else.

APPLY

This Christmas, move toward people instead of away from them. God shows incredible grace, love, patience, and kindness to people, even when they don’t have it all together. The Kid shows us that Christmas is for everyone. If you breathe air, you have benefited a lot from God’s grace, love, patience, and kindness. So sometimes the very thing that’s frustrating about people is the very thing that’s amazing about God’s grace.

Make any place you are a place that’s for everyone. And that includes this faith community, your Small Group. This family is for everybody. This includes people who are like us, and people who aren’t. We all have a part to play in making this that type of place…

By the way we greet and welcome people. We do it in a way that says, “This place is for everyone.”

By the way we talk to people. We do it in a way that says, “This place is for everyone.”

By the way we talk about people. We do it in a way that says, “This place is for everyone.”

By the way we invite people here. We do it in a way that says, “This place is for everyone.”

This week you may feel unimportant, or searching (Shepherds, wise men)

What is one way The Kid changes how you view yourself and other people?