Messiah Jesus Born In A Manger To King Of The Universe

“Mother and daughter looked more like twin sisters. Both were grossly overweight, and together they couldn’t have possessed more than eight teeth. Both had spent too many nights in jailhouses and skid row missions. As they lugged garbage bags full of their meager possessions past our church, Wanda and Lucille decided that it would be a good place to get religion again.

Their presence embarrassed me, especially when our paths crossed in public. They would waddle up, throw their pudgy arms around me, and loudly proclaim, “He’s our pastor!” One night, I reluctantly went to their little house for dinner. They sat me on a wooden crate at a card table surrounded by stray cats and décor rescued from a junk heap. We ate fast-food fried chicken, fruit cocktail straight out of a can, and Wonder Bread served on worn plastic plates. Later that little shack became a house of evangelism. Almost weekly, they would phone me to come and share the gospel with bikers covered in tattoos, homeless drifters, or runaway teens —many high on drugs or reeking of booze. In five years, I led many people to Christ in their place on the poor side of Tulsa.

Had Jesus come to Tulsa, Wanda and Lucille would have bullied their way past everyone to be first to host him. I would have found a polite way to steer Jesus toward a more impressive home. But he would have said, “No thanks, I want to stay at Wanda and Lucille’s place. They’ll wash my feet with tears of gratitude and wipe them dry with their hair. By the way, I’ve already been there a thousand times before. I slipped in with every down-and-outer they ever invited into their shack.” The amazing story of Wanda and Lucille is a reminder that there was no room for Jesus in the inn. As a result, he was born among barnyard beasts to an unwed teenage mother so he could be crucified between two criminals. Surely, none of us can be so far gone that he won’t come to our house. Are you part of the Inn crowd, or the Stable few?”

-James Petterson, The One Year Book of Amazing Stories (abridged)

Just like Wanda and Lucille, when you really get down to understanding how to really know Jesus the Christ in close relationship, to have Him as your friend, your savior, your Lord, your King, it comes down to one simple key truth: You must be willing, open, hungry to receive Him, humble enough to desire Him deeply.

A humble desire for the Lord of all. Simple, pure, truthful, meek, lowly, humble. That’s what it takes. Maybe in the end that’s a gift from the Lord himself.

Maybe that’s why the beginning of the greatest sermon ever written, the sermon on the mount, Jesus tells us that, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.”

We’ve been looking at the promises of God, the incredible hope we find in our faith, the gospel message we’re given to share with others, and last week the abundance, the abundant life of a believer, and all of these things surround one central truth, one perfect truth, one perfect reality, indeed, one perfect person, our Lord, our Savior, our Friend, our Creator, Jesus the Messiah, which brings us to our codeword, codeword Messiah.

Who is this being, who is this person, this infinite God who made us? Who is Jesus really? He provides all these things to us. He gives us hope, a future, promises, a message, an abundant life. And it all comes to us through Jesus.

The one who said I am the way, the truth, and the life. The one who said I am the resurrection and the life. The one who said I don’t condemn you, but go and sin no more. The one who said I am the light of the world. The one who said Woe to you Pharisees, hypocrites! The one who said If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. The one who said blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God. The one who said you will be my witnesses to the ends of the Earth.

We know this savior, this mysterious infinite being, through the words he spoke to us. Indeed in John 6 63 What gives life is God's Spirit; human power is of no use at all. The words I have spoken to you bring God's life-giving Spirit.”