Melbourne Heights - Sermons

In Jesus' day, becoming a disciple required proving yourself worthy. You had to demonstrate your qualifications and convince a rabbi you had what it takes. So most people were rejected.

Then Jesus called fishermen and tax collectors—people already rejected or who never bothered applying. He tore down the barriers. But we keep rebuilding them. Who have we decided isn't qualified?

In Jesus' day, becoming a disciple required proving yourself worthy. You had to demonstrate your qualifications and convince a rabbi you had what it takes. So most people were rejected.

Then Jesus called fishermen and tax collectors—people already rejected or who never bothered applying. He tore down the barriers. But we keep rebuilding them. Who have we decided isn't qualified?

Jesus didn't need to be baptized. Everyone at the Jordan River was there because they were sinners seeking purification. Jesus was without sin, so he had no reason to step into that water.

So why did Jesus insist? Because while we try to avoid what's unclean, God moves toward it. The question is: are we willing to do the same?

Jesus didn't need to be baptized. Everyone at the Jordan River was there because they were sinners seeking purification. Jesus was without sin, so he had no reason to step into that water.

So why did Jesus insist? Because while we try to avoid what's unclean, God moves toward it. The question is: are we willing to do the same?

We've all seen the wise men in nativity sets, but we rarely ask who they actually were. They were foreign priests who practiced a different religion and worshiped different gods. They were outsiders in every way.

But God chose them to be among the first to worship Jesus while leaving the religious insiders behind. What does that reveal about who belongs in God's kingdom?

We've all seen the wise men in nativity sets, but we rarely ask who they actually were. They were foreign priests who practiced a different religion and worshiped different gods. They were outsiders in every way.

But God chose them to be among the first to worship Jesus while leaving the religious insiders behind. What does that reveal about who belongs in God's kingdom?

It doesn't take long after Christmas comes to an end for us to put away our presents, pack away our decorations, throw away the shreds of wrapping paper, and move on to the next thing.

But what if part of the reason we feel let down when Christmas comes to an end is because we rush right past it? Maybe if we learn to hold on to the meaning of Christmas we won't feel so disappointed.

It doesn't take long after Christmas comes to an end for us to put away our presents, pack away our decorations, throw away the shreds of wrapping paper, and move on to the next thing.

But what if part of the reason we feel let down when Christmas comes to an end is because we rush right past it? Maybe if we learn to hold on to the meaning of Christmas we won't feel so disappointed.

We all have a picture in our minds of what Christmas should look like. We want to give and receive the perfect gifts. We want to throw the perfect gatherings. We want all of our decorations to look perfect. But we get disappointed when reality doesn't match our expectations.

But the Christmas story reminds us that we don't have to feel let down when things don't go the way we expect. Because sometimes, when we don't get what we want, that's when we really get what we need.

We think of Christmas as a time for family gatherings, attending parties, and just being with the people we love. So we can easily feel let down at Christmas when we don't fit in with our family, or get invited to any parties, or have people we feel close to.

But even though Christmas is a time when we can feel alone, Jesus' birth reminds us that God is always with us.