Making Room

Conclusion:

What are you missing because there’s “no room”?

As many excuses as there may be for not reaching out to our neighbors this Advent season – there are multitudes more for doing it.

The greatest: Jesus was not to busy…though as God He controls the worlds, He carries the burden of all of creation within His hands – He wasn’t too busy to come to earth and be born in the lowest of places.

He wasn’t too busy to reach out and touch you with His forgiving Good News.

“ ‘If only I had been there! How quick I would have been to help the baby.’ ” Martin Luther the reformer wrote, “ ‘I would have washed His linen. How happy I would have been to go with the shepherds to see the Lord laying in the manger!’ We say that because we know how great Christ is, but if we had been there at that time, we would have done no better than the people of Bethlehem…Why don’t we do it now? We have Christ in our neighbor.”

One day Jesus was teaching His disciples while sitting on the Mount of Olives. He said these words, “I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” (Matt. 25:40)

Some of those Jesus was referring to are your neighbors…and mine!

Roy Smith said it this way:

“A good many people with houses half-empty on Christmas Eve have blamed the innkeeper of Bethlehem because his place was full.”

Reach out and touch your neighbors with the Christ-mas Touch.

Touching our neighbors through acts of friendship, grounded in prayer, care and sharing put flesh and bones to Christ’s message.

Your Advent calendar has some great ideas to get you going this week.

Take some cookies to your neighbor along with a note letting them know you appreciate then – even it it’s been a long time.

Host a neighborhood Christmas party if you can pull it off

Maybe just invite someone new over for coffee or tea and dessert.

And don’t forget your neighbors sitting in the next pew here this morning: some of you might need to simply reach out and encourage a new family in our church.

What a powerful message Christ’s touch through you can be.

No room? Well, then, make room!

Make room for people whose hearts are probably softer right now than they have been in a long time.

Have You Any Room For Jesus

Williams, C. C.

Have you any room for Jesus,

He who bore your load of sin?

As He knocks and asks admission,

Sinner, will you let Him in?

Room for Jesus, King of glory!

Hasten now His word obey;

Swing the heart’s door widely open,

Bid Him enter while you may.

Room for pleasure, room for business,

But for Christ the crucified,

Not a place that He can enter,

In the heart for which He died?

Room for Jesus…

Have you any room for Jesus,

As in grace He calls again?

O today is time accepted,

Tomorrow you may call in vain.

Room for Jesus…

For information on this sermon series or the PowerPoint presentation please contact the author.