• Stable Stabilizing

  Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008 (message contributor)

  based on 1 rating   (rate this sermon illustration)

   | 2,667 views

  Scripture:  Luke 2:12

  Tags:  Christmas

  Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stable Stabilizing

Luke 2:12 says, "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord... You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Just as Christ was humble enough to be born in a stinky stable and all stables have a bad smell, no matter how well they are cleaned every day, the Holy Spirit of Christ takes up residence in the stable of spiritual hearts (1 Corinthians 3:16) and contends with the smell of human flesh that daily needs to be cleansed. No matter how well you clean a horses' stall one day, it begins to get a nasty smell and needs to be cleaned the next day.

I taught my sons, Derek, Caleb and Josiah how to properly clean a horse stall. They had to dig down deep to find that spot where urine lays deep and hard to find, but if left alone will work its way to the surface with a terrible acid smell that makes your eyes water, burns the skin of horse flesh, and causes hoof disease. All national champions have someone who properly cleans their stall, keeping out those impurities that can prevent a horse from achieving all it can.

Christians who have true Christmas joy have revelation and illumination of what the Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 2:11, "In [Christ they are] circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ."

When Christians become born again it is like having their hearts all cleaned up, but because of the sinful nature that is in all of us, we need a constant cleaning so we can remain in healthy condition, thus becoming champions in and for Christ. Just as a dedicated horseman does what it takes to enable a horse to achieve the goals set before it, the Holy Spirit of Christ remains in the child of God, constantly cleaning the spiritual heart with the Word of God. The children of God who have the faith of Mary become all the Lord desires for them to be. Their heart cry is like the Psalmist who wrote, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your Word. I seek you with all my heart: do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:9-11)

Invite Jesus Christ to Clean the Stable of Your Heart!