O Come All Ye Faithful

Have you ever felt like you weren’t enough?

Seriously, like because of your background, your experience, or maybe even lack thereof, have you ever felt like you couldn’t be used? You felt like there are people that are more prominent, popular, and worthy of things that you aren’t worthy of?

Show of hands here. If you’ve ever felt that way, just throw up a hand raise emoji.

Another way to put this is called Imposter Syndrome.

Imposter syndrome is something I’m very familiar with. It’s where you feel like an imposter in whatever it is you’re partaking in. You doubt your skills, talents, accomplishments and more. And you feel very plain and pedestrian.

The tension here is that when we feel this way, it affects us. Whether we admit it or not, we’re impacted by what we think is our inability to do something.

And listen,

It doesn’t affect your ability to shoot, but it affects where we aim.

If we feel that we cannot be used, then we do not aim at places we do not think we can shoot.

Now you might be wandering, HOW IN THE WORLD does this have anything to do with a Christmas Carol? Well, I think it has EVERYTHING to do with the Advent of Jesus and Christmas season.

If you’re joining us for the first time this week, we’re in week 3 of a series called CAROLS, where we’re looking at the backing in Scripture of some of our favorite songs sung this time of year.

We’ve digested Joy to the World and O Holy Night, and today, we’re looking at a song probably known more for one of it’s line than the actual title.

O come let us adore him! Nope, that’s not the name, the name is O Come All Ye Faithful.

The backing for this song is very clear, as it is right from the story of Jesus’s birth in Luke 2.

So, if you have a bible, turn with me to Luke 2 and today, we’re taking a peek at Verses 8-18! If you don’t have a bible, no worries, go ahead and download our app, Journey Point Church, which is on all app stores. You can follow along there in the bible, catch up on previous messages, even take notes from today’s message and email them to yourself and for those of you that call Journey Point home, you can give back to God what’s His there as well.

Speaking of, did you know what we’re asking God to raise $25,000 this season, that we can give back to our community. 100% of the money raise in our Annual Missions Offering goes STRAIGHT back to communities. We do things like we did yesterday, giving out 300 packages for the community to have some light during this dark time we’re in… literally with the sun going down at 4pm! :)

FOR DENVER

One of the reasons we serve the way we do is because we want to give hope to the hopeless. We want to help those that don’t feel like they’re enough, understand that God loves them and wants to use them!

In fact, the whole notion that we aren’t enough is a lie the world teaches, not God.

And I think that O Come All Ye Faithful is a GREAT reminder of that.

O Come All Ye Faithful and Luke 2:8-18 that backs it up, shows us that

Good News isn’t just for the Prominent and Popular, but also for the Plain and Pedestrian.

PRAY

Luke 2:8 CSB

8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock.

Shepherds - not the prominent and popular

not the prominent and popular

not political or religious leaders

but to the humble, the lowly, shepherds were dishonest, unclean according to the Jewish laws. But they represent those for whom Jesus came for.

And they were the FIRST recipients of the good news.

Luke 2:9 CSB

9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

IMPOSTOR SYNDROME kicks in a little, I’m sure.

They weren’t use to this, they were used to being shunned.

I didn’t do it! :)

BELLEVUE called in to Dr. Gaines office for staff meeting from SML, seeing something in me that others didn’t.

The angels represent how Jesus sees something different in those that don’t see it in themselves.

He comes to the lowly, plain, and pedestrian.

Luke 2:10 CSB

10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:

O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL.... JOYFUL.... TRIUMPANT

FOCUS on ALL

Good news isn’t just for the prominent and popular, but also for the plain and pedestrian.

Luke 2:11–12 CSB

11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”

A Savior

Messiah

The Lord

THESE FULFILLED PROPHECIES from Hundreds of years prior. And THEY are the ones chosen to confirm those prophecies. THINK ABOUT THAT!

SIGN FOR YOU!!!! Not the prominent and popular… but for YOU. And whether you’re a follower of Jesus today thinking you’re an imposter or someone still processing their thoughts about Christianity… THIS NEWS IS FOR YOU!

Luke 2:13–18 CSB

13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors! 15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. 17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

Back to the Bellevue Story and seeing what I didn’t see.

O come all ye Faithful, LET US ADORE HIM.

When it reminds us to adore Him, it takes the focus off of us.

It takes the focus off the work we think we have to do and lets us ride and rest on the Work God did through Jesus.

We walk in who God made us to be.

YOUR MOVE

Good News Helps us Focus on being

Faithful not Faultless

God isn’t calling Faultless people, but he’s calling the faithful.

The more faithful we are, the more “faultless” we become.

Joyful not Joyless

God wants us to be joyful people, joyful in the gift of Jesus, not joyless in thinking about what we have / don’t have, who we are/are not.

Triumphant no Thwarted

God wants us to remember that because of Jesus and in Him, we’re Triumphant in whatever we face, not thwarted.

PICK ONE this week. Try to be more faithful. Try to find more joy. Try to remember the triumph you have in Jesus.

Will you be more Faithful, Joyful, or Triumphant this week? Which one will you work on? Put that in the comments below.

When you walk in who God made you to be, whether that’s prominent in your circles or plain ol you, you live life with a joy that you don’t experience otherwise.

Imagine what would happen if we                  

The Good News isn’t just for the Prominent and Popular, but for the Plain and Pedestrian, and calls us to be faithful, joyful, and triumphant.