THE LONGEST WALK (Luke
2:1-7)
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Luke 2:1 In those days
Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be
taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census
that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3
And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph
also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea,
to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the
house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with
Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting
a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby
to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.
She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.
A LONG WALK
For Mary and Joseph
(about 70 miles) at 10-12 miles a day/a week
9 months pregnant, on
the back of a donkey,
For Jesus
(across time and space – from royalty to torn cloth in a
cave with animals, to a life of homelessness, death,
resurrection, and ascension
“Emptied Himself (Phil. 2) -
HOW LONG IS OUR WALK?
To Jesus
(Louis Lapides)
JESUS AS FORGIVER/
SAVIOR//JESUS AS LEADER/LORD
Jesus said, “Come, follow
me” (more than accepting forgiveness)
To someone “across the room”
Did you write
something on the back of your note-taking outline
Did you get someone to
hold you accountable
Did you take the first
step
THE LONGEST JOURNEY
STARTS WITH A SINGLE STEP
HOW LONG IS THE WALK
WHICH WALK IS THE LONGEST?
(Amos 3:3)
Do two walk
together unless they have agreed to do so?
FAMILY
MATTERS TODAY: Lots of choices, lots of opinions, lots of
“no-no’s”!
What we decide is not as
important as making an unbreakable commitment to
WALK TOGETHER
Like a marriage
– til death do us part!
United in the truth
(John 14:6) “I am the
way…truth…life”
Read (even if only
gospels),
Guided by the Spirit
(John 16:13) But when he, the
Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.
Change prayer focus
(James 1:5)
Pray like Jesus (John
17/oneness /THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW)
Tested by consensus
(1 John 4:1; 11,12)
Dear friends, do not believe
every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are
from God,
(1 John 4:2) This is how you
can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that
acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from
God,
Become part of a “body”: (1
John 4:11,12) 11 Dear friends,
since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God
lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
1 John 1:6-7If
we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the
darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we
walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship with one another, and the blood of
Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
Psalm 86:11-13
Teach me your way, O LORD, and I
will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God,
with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For
great is your love toward me;
Proverbs 8:17-21 I love those
who love me, and those who seek me find me. With me are
riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. My fruit
is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice
silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, along
the paths of justice, bestowing
wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries
full.
Isaiah 40:28-31
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the
everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He
will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one
can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the
power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and
young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength. They will
soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
