At Christmas, one of the things that should distinguish a follower of the teachings of Jesus is a love that reaches out to the marginalized and the forgotten – these are the people of our neighbourhoods, our schools, our cities, and around the world, and sometimes it’s us. Jesus was born into a poor but loving family, and we see him lavishly loving the poor, the hurting, the lonely. We are called to serve in humble, generous ways and we can spread God’s love through the way we choose to celebrate Christmas. When we show up and love in Jesus’s name, God shows up.
We love because He first loved us – 1 John 4:19
From our Ministry Team
- We are part of a conspiracy to do Christmas differently. We want to worship fully Jesus, spend less on us, and give more to our loved ones
- This week’s aim is to love all
- Jesus came for all people. If we are to faithfully follow Jesus we will love and serve all people, as a reminder of how much God loves us
Activity: Create some special Christmas cards for people like teachers, shopkeepers, or neighbours you don’t yet know well. Write them an encouraging note and draw a picture. Thank them for how they help your community and wish them a Merry Christmas
Bible Readings
Prayer
Father God, we are reminded again of God’s love for us through the Old and New Testament stories. At times it all gets too hard
Open our hearts and minds to see God’s love through new eyes as we celebrate the birth of a small child born in a manger
Reflection
In his letter to the Galatians Paul uses Old Testament historical events to argue they have a bearing on the New Testament church and is not merely past Jewish history
He encourages the church to live as the children of God and reminds them of God’s covenant made with Abraham. It is Jesus, born in a manger, in whom this covenant is fulfilled. We call it Grace, God’s unconditional love
Some ideas to help us Love all (from the website)
- Donate the money you saved from spending less
- Invite someone to church with you this week. Share a meal together after
- Be the person with an extra dose of patience this week. Listen well to others, offer grace
- Read Matthew 25. Notice how much Jesus cares about the way we love and serve others
- Ask your local church what serving opportunities there are and how you can get involved
- Pray for families around the world that are in need: single mums, refugees, villages without clean water, the homeless in your city
- Find a local organization to volunteer at. Go with your family, friends, or small group. Then talk about the experience and see what you learned