What is our response?

The Sunday before Christmas we had a beautiful outdoor service with Jason and Lisa's congregation.

 The kids acted out the Christmas story and we heard an amazing message about the three part story of Christmas. The first part of the story is our sin - how sin entered the world through Adam and Eve and how we live in sin every day. The second part of the story is Christ's redemption - through his birth, life, death, and Resurrection. When we celebrate Christ's birth, we are only seeing a small peek at the BIG STORY. And the third part of the story is our response. How do we respond to such an extravagant gift? We can't find words or actions or things that are enough to give back. But we can give our lives to God as our thank you. It was a beautiful reminder of why we celebrate Christmas - that Christ came to earth as a baby and made himself nothing.

Here are the lyrics to a great song by Andrew Peterson that pretty much sums it up:

Gather ‘round, ye children, come
Listen to the old, old story
Of the pow’r of death undone
By an infant born of glory
Son of God, Son of Man
Gather ‘round, remember now
How creation held its breath
How it let out a sigh
And it filled up the sky with the angels
Son of God, Son of Man


CHORUS


So sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God, but he made himself nothing
Well he gave up his pride and he came here to die
Like a man
Therefore God exalted him
To the place of highest praises
And he gave him a name above every name
That at the very name of Jesus, Son of God


CHORUS


We would sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God, but he made himself nothing
Well he gave up his pride and he came here to die
Like a man
So in heav’n and earth and below
Every knee would bow and worship
And ev’ry tongue would proclaim
That Jesus, He reigns with the angels


CHORUS


So sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God but he made himself nothing
Well he gave up his pride and he came here to die
Like a man
So gather ‘round, ye children come
Listen to the old, old story
Of the power of death undone
By an infant born of glory
Son of God, Son of Man