Sermon Outline

Brief outline of sermon for December 30 2012

1. Bethlehem is little:
   1. Too little to be important; Insignificant, humble

   2. Not the capital, not the palace; a small town

   3. But that's where God choose to come

   4. This tells us something about who God is; his character; his heart




2. Contrast between the two virgins

   5. Eve: We want to be big:
      1. Children of Eve; pride, self-elevation; brought death to world

         Especially pastors fall for this sin

         1. Grandiose, proud, like to tout our accomplishments

            Like the adulations and status we have in the congregation; in the community; in the District or Synod

            We want to be important; significant; esteemed just as much as the next guy

         
         

      
      

      2. Mary: God does not despise the small

         3. Child of Mary: humble, poor, meek and lowly, obedience brought lift to whole world

            What if the poorest, least esteemed, the weakest and smallest person in the congregation became pregnant and he child was the Son of God? Wouldn't you be a little jealous? Wouldn't you perhaps think God should have chosen you and your wife for such an honor?

            God does not despise the humble, the weak, the small, the means of grace; the cross

            God comes to us in weakness, in meekness, in humility when we are weak, poor, suffering. He is present on the cross; he is found in our crosses and burdens and sufferings

            What kind of a God we have! Love: to identify with us; become one of us in order to save us; sanctify us and make us his own