Christmas Eve

I don't know about you, but I love a good story. I don't get to read as many stories as I wish I could. But there is something that draws get into a really good story, right? We've got some great storytellers. I think of Stuart McLean and the story of Dave going to the hotel to cook the Christmas turkey that he had forgot to purchase. And so he figured if he went to a hotel they had to cook his food for him because of his dietary restrictions.

It's absolute scream. I Heard It For the First Time many years ago driving home from a Christmas day service.

There's stories that just draw as in right that Express something that is different from what we currently know. Good stories, we can Envision things that we couldn't see before.

This this story that we have that we've read is not only supposed to be a good story, but it's supposed to be good news. the story of Jesus's birth when we read in Matthew Mark Luke and John when we read than any of the scriptures, we don't quite read those stories in the same way that we would a Stewart McClain story or a JK Rowling story or any other author, right? We read these stories from the scriptures as if as if somehow there is so much tied up in them. The were frayed we're afraid to maybe enter into them in a way that we would with others.

But an order in order to really enter into this story. About the birth of Jesus. We need to suspend some things that we believe in.

We know how children are made. right It's not by an Angel appearing to a virgin. But maybe it is. Maybe it isn't maybe it is the story that we have today would say the lids.

If we really want to enter into it, we need to suspend her our scientific belief are analytical belief. But the only way for a child to be conceived. It's the way that we know through science.

Because if we hold on to that belief the miracle of Jesus his conception and birth. fall flat

What are we willing to suspend in our belief? In order to enter into the stories.

It was easier for me to suspend my belief when I was a kid. You read stories as a child and you're willing to accept whatever the story is. You're willing to overlook certain things. You're willing to have a time to really enter into it. Jesus fence Nets Very truly I tell you no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.

We know how children are born.

It's not the quiet that's often depicted in Jesus's birth. It's not the stable. It's not the manger. It's the hospital in the Midwife and the doctor and all of those things.

But is there a way that we can suspend that belief? But it needs to be that way. In order for us to understand how to be born again. Are we able to put those things aside and understand how people might come to us? In the form of an Angel an angel is just a messenger from God. Harold's and Angel write George. It's an angel. right Freedom might disagree

We are all angels and messengers of God. And so yes, yes, maybe maybe we can bring something to birth that is new and different. Maybe we can understand being born from above if we can just suspend our belief that things have to happen. They particular way. for Jesus also says this truly I tell you whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.

on Sunday We started to decorate the worship space.

Send the worship was over on Sunday morning. We got the plants out. We got the crafts that we got things in place. And Dawn who's our secretary had brought in. the baby Jesus

Baby, Jesus was in Dawn's office and she had asked one of the little kids who often plays in this space if he would like to carry Jesus up to the crash.

You've never seen Holiness from such a rambunctious kid in your life. He changed. He changed in just hearing this trial that it was really quite remarkable. People walked out of his way so they could process this child. full of all full of wonder full of reference

At times at times we lose our ability to enter into stories as we get older. Because we think things have to be a certain way.

We forget that we were born to trust others to look for man. Sick in the world to look for. Peace. To look for something new being created within on. So may the story on this Holy Night come alive and does make us new. May we not just received Jesus into our hearts. But may we be born again? May we become like that little babe? full of all full of wonder full of trust as we Ponder these words and treasure them. As we hear God speaking to us. And we know that we are loved by God. For this is The Greatest Story Ever Told and for that we give thanks almond.