http://bible.com/events/6928282

Luke 2:41-52 (2011 NIV)

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

God with us (Emmanuel), became God like us.

I. Gives value to our humanity.

a. Wesley’s Explanatory Notes on Luke 2 (John Wesley)

i. St. Luke describes in order Jesus the fruit of the womb, Luke 1:42; an infant, Luke 2:12; a little child, Luke 2:40; a child here, and afterward a man. So our Lord passed through and sanctified every stage of human life. Old age only did not become him.

b. Our value and our worth does not come from what we can produce, what we can do, what we have, who we know, or how attractive we are. We are loved, we are valued, and we have dignity because of who we are before God. Human beings, created in his image.

II. Shows our need for a Savior

a. Romans 5:12-17

III. Provides Opportunity

a. Hebrews 2:14-18

b. Hebrews 4:14-16

IV. Points to our mission

a. Matthew 28:16-20

http://bible.com/events/6761338

Here Comes Heaven – Christmas Eve

Luke 1:26-38 
There are so many things about Mary that we do not know, but what we do know is how she responded in the midst of fear and uncertainty.

Luke 1:38

•At no point are we told Mary understands all this, but she believes and obeys.
•And her response – “I am the Lord’s servant…” can be your response – to every call of God on your life, whether you understand it or not, whether you can grasp what the future holds or not.

Perhaps God is calling each of us to respond exactly like Mary did:
“Lord, I don’t know how and I don’t know why, but I know You and I trust You.”

http://bible.com/events/6761259
Here Comes Heaven – Our Place

Luke 2:1-20
Often we invite Jesus into our story, asking Him to bless what we are doing. The truth of Christmas is Heaven is interrupting our story. It’s not inviting God to join into my story, but rather God inviting us to enter into His story. 
The reason the shepherds are so important in this story is because they most clearly represent us.
-By society’s standards, they were not considered exceptional or significant.  

Bottom line: 
Christmas means He came for you.

Jesus is the Savior of all, but often we think that means everyone else except me.

The shepherds help us clearly see that Jesus is the Savior of all, even the ordinary, the outsider, the excluded.

Jesus’ divine interruption is truly a divine invitation….
Christmas means He came for you.