ADVENTure: The Loud, Noisy, Roaring, Life Changing, Not So Silent NightShembull

The Adventure:

Have you ever fallen before? I have. One time I fell off the monkey bars and passed out. Scary in the moment but kind of funny to think about now. But if you’ve fallen your parent, teacher, or friend probably asked “Are you ok?” Then they probably asked specifics depending on where you fell. If you fell on your arm they’d ask, “How’s your arm?” If you fell on your head they’d ask, “How’s your head?” You get the idea. But it would be kind of weird if you fell and someone asked, “How’s your heart?”

We don’t really think about our hearts but we see here in the person of David that God cares a lot about our hearts. How David was chosen to replace Saul as king of Israel was when a servant of God knew it was in a certain family so he lined them up like he was picking a killer dodgeball team for recess. God steps in and says the servant is focusing on the wrong thing. God cares about the heart. We see later in the Bible that the reason why David was chosen is because he was a man after God’s own heart. David chased after God’s heart and David’s heart was for God. David was the greatest king Israel ever saw and that’s because his heart was in the right place.

Hearts are important to God and Christmas is supposed to capture our hearts for God. It isn’t about snow or gifts it’s about our hearts becoming excited that it is Jesus’ birthday. Even one of the most famous Christmas songs, Joy to the World, is about our hearts. You see happiness is a temporary feeling but joy is a way a heart can live. We have to choose joy and fight for joy. Happiness comes and goes but joy is forever because our joy is found in Jesus.

The Destination:

David was the best king of Israel but he still wasn’t perfect. He sinned against God and people. Even as the best king at the time, it pointed to the perfect King Jesus. Years and years and generations and generations later Jesus was born from the family tree of David. The same family tree of Ruth. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of our perfect King. A King who grew up just like you and me. A King who probably fell and was asked, “How’s your head?” We can celebrate Christmas because Jesus is the perfect King with a perfect heart for you and for me. A heart that loved us so much that He would die for you and for me so our imperfect hearts could be healed and we’d be in perfect friendship with God.

Songs For The Journey:

Joy To The World (Joyful, Joyful) by Phil Wickham