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
- Nativity of the Lord I
- Isa. 9:2–7
- Ps. 96
- Titus 2:11–14
- Luke 2:1–14 [15–20]
Prayer
May we see the coming of Jesus, and his life and example, as the generous receiving of God’s love and grace that it is
Help us to share this gift and example generously and purposefully with others
Thank you for walking this path with us and giving us ears to listen and eyes to see…..may we use them respectfully and well
Reflection
Paul’s message in Titus 2 calls us to set our moral lives in the context of the life of Jesus. Jesus is the embodiment of God’s grace and a living demonstration of receiving and sharing that grace; there is the implication that God intervened in all humankind through Jesus, both believers and non-believers
At Christmas we celebrate the incarnation of Jesus that is his birth. However, that incarnation also implies the whole of the life of Jesus and its role in the salvation of humankind. Paul suggests that all people have equal access to God’s salvation. He invites us to live well, respect others, share God’s love and grace in our own lives and as we purposefully walk and interact with people from all parts of life, both sharing and seeking God’s 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