Where does God want to work in you this Christmas?

St Mary’s Comberton Carol Service 17 December 2006

<<God loves bringing something hugely significant out of something seemingly insignificant.>>

<<Where does God want to work in you this Christmas?>>

An elderly man. Bent double with arthiritis. No longer the energetic young man he once was. Day to day tasks starting to feel like a burden.

The man’s name: Abraham. He would be the Father of a great nation.

A dormitory town. In the shadow of the big city. Its residents remember better times.

The town’s name: Bethlehem. The place where God chose to come from heaven to earth..

A restless baby. New born. Barely weighing 6lb. Born to a teenage mother with no fixed address.

The baby’s name: Jesus. The Saviour of the World.

One of the great things about carol services…

Don’t often do in church.

Sweep of the Bible.

Remarkable: same themes cropping up again and again.

I say remarkable: because for book written over a period of 2000 years with over 30 author you don’t expect that unity.

When you read a whole sweep… why didn’t I notice that before?

Theme:

The number of times God takes someone or something seemingly insignifcant, and brings out of it something hugely significant.

God loves taking something small, unpromising, trivial.

God loves taking people who think they are of no consequence, insignificant.

And turning them into something extraordinary and full of promise.

I’m reminded of the story of a friend of mine – someone I knew in Durham.

Shaun used to see himself as a fairly ordinary kind of bloke.

He left school at 16. He had an ordinary job. He wasn’t married, or in a relationship.

One evening – on the way home from the pub – he heard God.

Shaun, I want you to follow me. I want you to be a priest.

Embarassment. Did not see him a religious man. Lord’s prayer

Someone who did. Uncle. 2 or 3 years later came to train in Durham.

God did something hugely significant in someone who saw himself as insignificant.

Abaraham was an ordinary human being, with an extraordinary call.

Bethelehem was a non descript town, where God invited angels to the birthday party of his Son.

And the baby Jesus grew up to be the man in whom we see the face of God. The man who would bring assurance of God’s forgiveness through his death.

What does God want to do in you this Christmas?