Kindness @ Christmas

KINDNESS @ CHRISTMAS

TEXT: Luke 2:1-7 NKJV

INTRO: As I said last week, These past few weeks God has been getting us ready for the new year. Every message has been a springboard or launching pad for what God is doing in our midst. God is preparing this corporate body of people to move forward in to what He has in store for us. The # 1 thing He has given us to do is to reach people. One of the ways we reach people is by doing acts of kindness. The kindness that is to be showed should not be any different at Christmas then it is throughout the rest of the of the year. Today we want to look at kindness that was shown at Jesus’ Birth. We will see the birth of Christ in a different way then what we normally would see it. Then I just want to give you 7 simple & practical ways to show kindness to people this Christmas.

AMEN.

What is Kindness? (Definition of Kindness)

Kindness - having a good or benevolent nature or disposition;

desiring to do good to others; the sincere desire for the

happiness of others.

Acts of kindness were taken place even before our Lords Birth.

BACKGROUND:

For about 400 Years between the Old Testament and New Testament no revelation or words had come from God. Nothing had been heard. It seems as if the Heavens where shut and God was not speaking to humanity. There was no wide spread revelations. Heavens hotline seemed disconnected. Matter of fact nothing was revealed until the conception of John the Baptist. A messenger

that would latter in life prepare the way for the coming of the Lord Jesus. As wonderful as the birth of John is, the reason for this Christmas season is about the wondrous and miraculous birth of Jesus or Lord. We are about to look 2 acts of kindness that took place in scripture that to many of us has been hidden until now.

Turn in your bibles to Matthew chapter 1 starting in verse 18

WE READ...

1. AN ACT OF KINDNESS BY JOSEPH

Found in Matthew 1: 19 (18-25)NKJV

18 This is how Jesus Christ was born. A young woman named Mary was engaged to Joseph from King David’s family. But before they were married, she learned that she was going to have a baby by God’s Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph was a (Good) Kind man and did not want to embarrass Mary in front of everyone. So he decided to quietly call off the wedding. 20 While Joseph was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, "Joseph, the baby that Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her. 21 Then after her baby is born, name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." 22 So the Lord’s promise came true, just as the prophet had said, 23 "A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Immanuel," which means "God is with us." 24 After Joseph woke up, he and Mary were soon married, just as the Lord’s angel had told him to do. 25 But they did not sleep together before her baby was born. Then Joseph named him Jesus.

Joseph and Mary where engaged which is a BIG deal

Joseph had ever right under Jewish law to publicly disgraced Mary - and being found guilty she would have been killed (Stoned to Death) for having a baby with someone else.

Again this was a BIG deal… BUT, God knew that through an act of Kindness The savior of the world would be born to be and He would be an example for us of how to live a life of kindness.

AN ACT OF KINDNESS BY THE INN-KEEPER

Found in Luke 2: 7 (1-7)

1 About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books. 2 These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. 4 So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David’s hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David’s family. 5 Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, 6and while they were there, 7she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Joseph had to take Mary who was with child to Bethlehem for this census.