0:10

Merry Christmas, everyone Look at Rachel.

0:14

I am ready for a home movie.

0:19

You should have a scooch closer to me. There you go.

0:21

Oh, that is Hallmark, yes.

0:23

That's very cute, but they can't hear us if we do that, so I'll go back to this no snuggling.

0:27

Today it is Christmas season.

0:30

We love doing the Campbell Soup podcast.

0:32

Hopefully you are, I don't know.

0:36

Maybe you have good traffic because it's better now.

0:39

I don't like it right now because it gets so dark so soon.

0:41

Oh, my gosh. I love it because it's cuddly.

0:44

Oh, okay, it's cuddly, but it is a good season.

0:47

We're talking about just the last couple of weeks.

0:49

We'll just be talking kind of Christmas-y because it goes with it, but just to kind of help some things while we go with it.

0:55

And so today we really want to talk about more about Christmas, and I think I mean I guess, since I'm starting it out, I'll just tell you what the title is we are Christmas, but I think it goes back to, I see, a couple of things happen during this season.

1:13

There are there's the angry Christian that comes out during the Christmas season.

1:17

That is not Ebenezer Scrooge, baja Humbug Christmas, but it's this mad at Starbucks.

1:25

Materialism.

1:26

Yes, and mad at capitalism and mad at you know all these people for not like.

1:31

You're, mad at non-Christians for not being Christian and and so you know just kind of like all of that rage and like I can't believe that target and you know your normal ones, that you're just like.

1:44

Boycotting Disney target. What's the what's the hit list this year?

1:46

Jc.

1:47

Penney's did this and Coles did this, and it's like then, then Coles, and then like Bent on saying if somebody says happy holidays, you're like, you will say Merry Christmas.

1:58

And, like you know, if somebody asks what your name is at Starbucks, you tell them that your name is Mary and then last name is Christmas.

2:05

So then they have to say Merry Christmas, you're like. Haha, wait a second, that's actually a really good one.

2:11

So you say your name is Mary.

2:14

Yes, and then your last name is Christmas, and so then they have to read you know, and your lattes ready.

2:20

Merry.

2:20

Christmas. And then people are like, oh my gosh, they said it, all of those kind of things and and I get it.

2:28

Yeah, I mean and. But but Christmas is more than that and this isn't a new thing.

2:33

I mean, when you look at the church of England back in the day and you look at Protestant, when they when we had the Protestant Reformation, I mean there were all these different things where some of our songs were written during that time because they were kind of banned, and so this isn't new.

2:52

Yeah, but it's bigger than that, right, yeah, and I think that here's.

2:57

Here's what I really feel in my heart, babe, is there is no season like the season of Christmas where hearts are more open.

3:05

And as Christians, we miss the plot sometimes because we think Jesus needs propping up and Jesus does not lose his power because a non-Christian doesn't say Merry Christmas Honestly.

3:16

Yeah.

3:17

I think you know. Of course we glorify God, we worship in such a beautiful and a special way during the Christmas season, but we don't need to be afraid of the world at Christmas time.

3:27

I think that's the whole point is that the power of God to seek and save the lost is not minimized because people are refusing him, and never in all of history has never been that way.

3:40

And we so. We want to read this because what our whole title today is an encouragement to Christians.

3:46

We are Christian Christmas.

3:48

We are Christian, but also we are Christmas, and what do we mean by that?

3:53

And I want to read Colossians 1.27, because it's so perfect.

3:57

It just says to whom God was pleased to make known all what is riches of the glory, of his mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you.

4:05

The hope of glory and I think that's what we want to encourage you today is that you don't have to fight the world to carry the glory of God.

4:14

The promise here, right here in Colossians, is that God chose to put his glory inside of us.

4:20

The whole mystery of this world is that there's a Christ in you, christ in you, christ in me.

4:27

That is the hope of glory to this world, and God has called us this Christmas season to carry his glory in such a way that the world wants what we're carrying.

4:39

Yeah, and one of the quotes of the old saints, Saint Francis of Assisi, says preach the gospel at all times and, if necessary, use words.

4:48

And so Christmas is more than getting somebody to say Merry Christmas or changing the decorations at Nordstrom to not say happy holidays.

4:57

Like you know, don't get in a fight over that.

5:00

What the scripture says is Christ in us, and so we really are Christmas to those that aren't.

5:08

And we can either be a really good Christmas or a really bad Christmas, depending on if you're a Karen of the Bells or if you are really letting Jesus shine through us.

5:22

And I think it really can.

5:24

And it's like the work. We can either be the best demonstration of what Christmas can be or we can be the very worst.

5:31

You know, when it's all about us and it's about making us feel safe and all of these things, it's like whoa, whoa, whoa.

5:38

You're not describing Christmas well or showing off Christmas well.

5:43

It's almost like we're the Christmas tree and what kind of decorations are on it?

5:49

What are you decorating? Is it just nasty garbage that you pulled out, or is it really something that gets people's attention and they go, wow, and it's obviously.

5:58

It's not us, but it's the Christ in us.

6:01

So maybe today, because I'm the practical one, maybe there's some practical ways that we can talk about that, Like, how are we Christmas to those around us?

6:09

How are we doing with that?

6:12

And I think the first thing that I would just say is on the practical side, Rachel and I know we've even mentioned it before, but like I, was anti Christmas because of retail- you were a little grinchy.

6:24

I was a little grinchy, a little scroogey and just worn out, because it started like September, you know, right after Labor Day.

6:32

For me it was in retail. We had to start changing things, getting it ready for Christmas and I guess I looked at it not spiritually.

6:42

I think that what you allowed me to do is really to recognize this is a holy time.

6:48

This is Christ mass, Christ mass.

6:53

This was the what we're, we're worshiping this moment.

6:57

And then, really, when I start looking at the stories, looking at the word of God, it really we don't have the crucifixion if we don't have Christmas.

7:06

And so just kind of looking at you know God's plan that he has for us, and and what a special birthing, the miraculous, the virgin birth, you know all of these things.

7:17

It really is the season for Christians to shine.

7:20

It really is the season to really celebrate and not to be like, oh, the Christmas tree is pagan and the Christmas lights are somehow they mark of the beast, you know all of those kind of things that are so, I don't know, sensational and people kind of can sometimes do it.

7:37

No, no, this is, this is like you know, Christmas and Easter.

7:41

These are, are, these are ours, these are our holidays Right.

7:45

This is the time to shine during them, not actually go back.

7:49

Yeah, and we don't need to minimize the power of God's glory.

7:52

And I think that when we are shaming the sinners of the world because they're not glorifying God, we're minimizing the glory of God.

8:01

Yeah, because his glory doesn't need permission to be awesome.

8:07

Well, that makes sense. And can I just interrupt you on that?

8:09

Absolutely the Christmas story. Well, but the Christmas story in a manger just shows us God doesn't need our work.

8:18

And I can't say that enough is that Jesus doesn't need our enhancing, he doesn't need special lights on him, he doesn't need us to bat down every opponent because he can't.

8:29

And I think that sometimes we forget how powerful and awesome the glory of God is when I think about where I used to be and when God decided to show off in my life and show up and break every chain of bondage.

8:43

That did not happen because I said Merry Christmas the right way, because I just didn't.

8:49

There is no earthly thing that can hinder the power and the glory of God.

8:54

But Colossians talks to us about how his glory is manifested through us, and so when we are preoccupied I guess this is a, this is just an encouragement to Christians to be true Christians this year is that when we're preoccupied with batting down evil, then sometimes that's what God's power has to be used for, instead of what it's meant for, which is being different.

9:17

I want my light, I want my life at Christmas time to be so full of supernatural love and grace.

9:24

I want to be a help to people who need help.

9:28

I want to see the broken world and say God, how could I be a part of changing this small little space of time for someone else.

9:37

How can I be a glory carrier instead of a darkness fighter?

9:42

I think that when we begin to glorify the light of God through our lives and we begin to set that atmosphere for the people around us and for our families and that's what we're exalting, that's what we're making big there's nothing impossible for God and I believe that through Christmas, god wants to have salvation's happening, not just arguments.

10:03

One this is a bigger. We need to step out of that, out of the lives, what we're living in and the climate of our world.

10:10

We step out of it and see a bigger God with a greater plan.

10:13

You know Mary had to do that, joseph had to do that, every single person involved in the history of the Christmas story.

10:20

They had to step out of the smallness of what they were living in and the climate of their world to see that God was bigger and had a bigger plan for their life.

10:30

And it's the same for us. We can get small minded.

10:33

We can win small battles against sinners or we can step outside of that and go.

10:39

What could happen if I surrendered my life to God right now and allowed him to lead me and became the hope of glory to this world?

10:48

It looks a little different, it sounds a little different.

10:50

It's refreshing to people who aren't saved and they begin to be attracted to that.

10:56

I. I mean we could just stop the podcast there and say, there, I mean, what you just articulated is so true and it really is.

11:05

It's not about what other people say, it's the Christ in us and this is our Season and you know God loves celebrations.

11:15

If you look in the Old Testament and look at the different, you know there were like these quarterly different Feast of the Tabernacles.

11:23

You know all these different little moments and God loves celebration and so Christmas is a celebration and we get to celebrate.

11:30

You know that it's Jesus and I know he's like here's the reason for this season.

11:34

Yes, but live. That be the reason for this season.

11:37

And I know again, preach the gospel, use words if necessary, and the more we you and I, just in our neighborhood and in the malls, you know, and just Just on walks and stuff, we are Christmas and really letting people see that the great thing is.

11:59

We're Advertising something right now that is is needed, and so it's not like we're Advertising popsicles in Alaska.

12:10

You know where it's cold. Nobody wants a popsicle in Alaska.

12:13

We're advertising, you know, these Thermal jackets that stay warm by batteries.

12:21

Exactly, and the people are looking for Christ right now and it's and it's, even though the world is Anti-maybe Christ, there's something that they're open to during this season Generosity isn't at all time big Giving is it an all-time?

12:39

But you know so it's almost like God is setting it up for you and I to really embrace and say this is my season, I am Christmas, I am that example to wherever we go, wherever there is happy holidays, I am Christmas everywhere.

12:57

You know there's something else. We, you and I, get to be that and I take it as an honor and a badge of man and let's bring some of that life.

13:06

So any more practical things.

13:09

I just remember being a little girl and I had four brothers and we used to play all kinds of games outside and I remember there would be moments where I would want to pass the ball to someone on my team.

13:19

I was kind of a tomboy and I would want to pass the ball, but they were looking the wrong direction and I feel like God right now is wanting to pass us the ball and some of us are looking in the wrong direction and just a little bit too preoccupied with bad news, those wrong things happening, the cares of this world.

13:35

When God's like can I pass you my glory, could I trust you?

13:38

And you know the bible says that who is faithful in the little god will make ruler over much.

13:44

If you want to carry the glory of God in a powerful way, if you want to be someone that lays hands on the sick and sees them recover, it starts with looking the right way and being ready to be passed the ball and then Allowing it to be a moment where God can trust you to love others and not hit them in the face with it.

14:01

And I think that it's really important and crucial moment this Christmas to be able to look up and Allow God to pass us.

14:09

Let us be people who can carry his presence in a way that represents who he is and his nature, instead of the war we're trying to win in one day.

14:18

This we're playing the long game, and we want to see the lost found right, and so this is a season of harvest, like, I believe, israel.

14:24

This is a season of harvest like no other year, and so let's, let's fixate on that.

14:30

Let's really allow God to use our lives to carry his glory.

14:34

Yeah, and I mean it is. It's a great time to invite people over for, you know, dinner or invite them to come with you to a candlelight service.

14:43

You know, all these moments are usually Yeses versus maybe during the rest of the year it could be a no, but if you're like hey, would you like to come to our candlelight service, it's amazing to people that would say yes Versus maybe in the summer they wouldn't come to a church service because we it's, it's really like you said, pass me the ball, I'm ready, god, I am ready for that, which really then just changes our mindset of like, okay, let's make sure we have the right mindset this season, and the great thing about the Holy Spirit and all of this too, is our Communion with the Holy Spirit and our communication with the Holy Spirit will show us ways that we can be Christmas, you know, and there's so many different ways.

15:27

Like I said, you know this is such an easy time to find People to partner with that are giving.

15:33

This is such an easy time to reach.

15:36

Like Normally, if I brought cookies over to my neighbor's house, like August 10th, they would be like what's the deal?

15:43

But in December, bringing over cookies, that says Merry Christmas, the Campbell's.

15:48

You know you're so glad you're the neighbors. They they're like good with that.

15:52

And so yeah and so just really embracing some of this times yeah, I think that one way to show the glory of God is taking care of someone else's needs and Like okay, today this is a very, very specific and funny thing.

16:06

But Israel and I were walking on the strand.

16:09

Don't hate if you don't live in California, but we have this place called the strand and it's pretty nice.

16:13

It's just a sidewalk along the beach that we like to go and seek the Lord, and he's always there.

16:18

But production notes.

16:20

Yeah, so I. There was a lady in a wheelchair.

16:23

It was like a motorized wheelchair and she was getting out to get some fresh air with her dog, who was obviously like a service dog, and you could tell her life was hard and Things weren't easy for her and her dog, pood, right on the strand.

16:36

Can you say that over the podcast Christmas poo it was mr Hank.

16:41

But and everyone was just walking by her like she was a nuisance, and I felt like the Holy Spirit told me just go Help her and scoop it up for her, instead of her having to get off of her wheelchair Somehow and get down there to do it.

16:53

And so I did. It was so easy.

16:56

It was disgusting, I hated it. It's a humbling thing, but I felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit.

17:00

It really took nothing off of my life to do.

17:03

Suffer maybe humbled me a bit and I felt like I served her and just was good at being past the ball from God.

17:10

I didn't witness to her, I just loved her and I did something that somebody else couldn't do for themselves, and it was simple.

17:16

But I feel like sometimes we underestimate those moments when they're just beautiful moments to serve our community, to love somebody, to help somebody and do something for someone that I can do that they can't.

17:30

So what is that in your life that Is there?

17:32

Is there someone in your world who's in need that you could do something for that they can't right now do for themselves?

17:38

It doesn't even have to be financial.

17:40

It could be a mom who's working 40 hours a week and then Stress out coming home and cooking and you say, hey, thursday night Don't cook.

17:48

At 6 pm You'll have a hot meal at your door because I love you.

17:50

Something that you could do. That's super Practical.

17:54

That maybe it's just. Maybe they even could do for themselves, but it will bless them not to.

17:59

That's being Jesus.

18:01

Yeah, and I love that, I love what you said, that you did it, you felt the Holy Spirit and Then and if you pick up someone else's poo, wash your hands before you make someone dinner.

18:10

Good, good practice.

18:13

I'm all about practicality and I'm really Glad you did that, but I think what was good, what you said about that is I didn't, you know, I didn't do it, and then witness and and not that you don't record me and post it on our ministry page.

18:29

Ouch, ouch, too soon.

18:33

But I think what is so good about that is knowing We've talked about this before but spiritual muscle memory.

18:40

And so when you obey the Holy Spirit in a dumb little thing like picking up the ladies dogs poo, he's actually says if you're faithful in the little, it'll make you ruler over much.

18:53

And Sometimes we see other people's lives and we're like how come they got that opportunity or how come they did that?

18:59

Usually I would say that they would tell you it was probably somewhere picking up somebody else's dog poo and we, with the glamour of social media, we just think that they just arrived.

19:12

But most stories have a past, especially throughout the Bible, that where they started out was actually not that but the small steps of obedience.

19:22

And and so just anytime the Holy Spirit tells you and prompts you, just go ahead and do that, even if there's not a ministry opportunity.

19:31

Like, oh, I didn't get to lead them in the sinner's prayer, I didn't get to invite them in church, that's okay and Be good with that, but God will increase it.

19:40

But if you don't do those things, he's not gonna tell you to lay hands on somebody and and see them recover.

19:47

You won't have the muscle memory to do that, or you won't have the seeds of faith to do that.

19:52

So I thought that that was really good.

19:54

Yeah, and what you said is so good about. You know, you think that people get what they get just by getting it, but usually there's a picking up the poo story now this has become our theme, but usually there's those stories and I I just want to say too the more successful we become, the more we should be doing the humbling things and the small things, and I think that that's what keeps us grounded, it's what keeps us pure-hearted, and Not doing it for the lights, camera action or the pay raise or the, because it's good on my resume or it's good for my portfolio.

20:26

No, it's because I'm a servant of God, and if you asked me to do something small for someone else that humbles me, I'm gonna jump at that chance because it makes me a greater.

20:36

It makes me greater in the big moments.

20:39

Yeah, and I just you know, if we look at some of those early church history literature, early church letters from fathers whether it was a Clement or whatever we don't see this battle against culture Like fighting whatever the culture was doing at the day.

20:58

We see service, and that's what Christianity Exploded on the scene with and really First revivals that were ever happened were acts of service and they just were shocked at the way Christians behave, not what Christians boycotted, not what Christians said they stood against, but it was what Christians, under pressure, did.

21:22

So they just kept on loving and they kept on serving because they were Christians, they were Christmas their Christ followers.

21:29

And I think that People who carry the glory of God absolutely should Smell and feel and look different their lives.

21:37

When you're in a grocery store with someone carrying the glory of God, you should notice, and people should notice the glory on our lives and and we allow it we are the ones who let the glory of God out or we stifle it in and keep it for ourselves, and that's a really small way to live.

21:52

So let's be carriers of the glory of God.

21:55

Can I read this prayer of st Francis to CC, because it convicts me every time and I read the same one who I know.

22:02

And we didn't share each other's notes, so this is like right on point, but I just want to read this because it means so much to me and it helps me refocus my heart Towards God and being his vessel.

22:13

But it says Lord, make me an instrument of your peace where there is hatred.

22:18

How many of you are around environments where there's hatred?

22:22

He asks God. Where there's hatred, let me so love where there's injury, pardon where there is discord, unity where there is doubt, faith where there is despair, hope where there is darkness, light and where there is sadness.

22:39

Let my life, so joy, I love that so much.

22:42

Oh divine master, grant that I might not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand others, to be loved as to love others, for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

23:03

Amen. And it's counter cultural to everything that we see during the selfish season of December is lord, let me be someone.

23:11

Where there's disunity, let me fight for unity.

23:14

Let me carry the peace of God. Let me carry your glory in such a way that it changes atmospheres everywhere that I go.

23:21

I love that. Let's wrap up with that, because I don't think there's much more that we can say on that that.

23:27

But just let's be Christmas To a world that is really actually looking for something more.

23:35

And I'm telling you, it's easy to shine In darkness.

23:40

It really is, uh, but you can keep on trying to attack darkness or we can actually shine some light in it and really we are Christmas.

23:50

They're the Christ in us and I love that.

23:54

Reach, let's show it, let's, um, really Do that could you maybe just pray with everybody and just say that for them.

24:01

Yeah, god, I just thank you that my life is Subtotal of others who gave others who loved me enough to show your glory, god.

24:11

I'm so thankful for that. And now it's my turn or it's my turn to be a glory carrier.

24:16

But I pray for every person listening, god, that you will Fill us with your glory, that you will find us trustworthy With who you are, with your word, with um sharing your love across this world.

24:29

God, I pray that you make us sensitive to people around us, that we are called to make a difference in their life.

24:35

Lord, I pray that you fill us with boldness, that it's not our good works, but it is your faithful love toward us that makes us eligible to be carriers of your holy spirit.

24:46

I just pray, god, that you help us do that.

24:48

Lord, we thank you for harvest this year, lord, that we don't harvest through hate.

24:53

We harvest because we are loved first.

24:56

So help us be that. Jesus, we celebrate you, we exalt you in every area of our lives this christmas.

25:03

Amen, amen. And hey, a practical thing, rachel, on our flourishing uh instagram, there is a new that you do almost every year, uh, but an advent and just uh.

25:17

Different devotions, different schools of thought, different just ideas about christmas.

25:23

Yeah, every day of december every day and it's always I feel like I know it's one of your highlights, but it's so great listening to some of your friends, some of the people in the church, and so you know.

25:34

If this is difficult for you, I think really, this advent would really help.

25:40

Uh, you know, just kind of staying in that right mode.

25:42

It's not about me, it's not about my list, it is about the christ in me.

25:46

So check that out also on instagram on flourishing.

25:49

It's gonna be awesome.

25:51

Love you guys.