IT'S CHRISTMAS. DO YOU BELIEVE?

It’s Christmas. Do You Believe?

Welcome, and thank you for joining this Christmas message. It’s Christmas. Do you believe?

This is not simply a question about whether we believe that God sent His Son as a baby in a manger. That truth is beautiful and essential, but Christmas invites us into something deeper. It is a personal question, one God is asking each of us to answer from the heart.

Don’t rush past it. Take a moment to listen deeply, because this question has the power to change a life.

An Unusual Scripture for Christmas

This message begins with an unexpected passage for Christmas, found in Ezekiel chapter 22. The prophet speaks to a nation that has resisted God’s cleansing and blessing. The land is described as unclean, not because God was unwilling to pour out mercy, but because the people resisted it.

God describes leaders who no longer lead with righteousness. Prophets enrich themselves instead of turning people back to God. Priests blur the line between what is holy and unholy. Political leaders seek personal gain rather than the good of the people. As a result, society begins to reflect its leadership. The poor are mistreated. Truth is lost. Corruption spreads from the top to the bottom.

Looking at this, we might assume judgment is inevitable. Yet God’s response is surprising.

God Is Looking for Someone

Instead of rushing to judgment, God says He searched for someone who would stand in the gap on behalf of the land so that it would not be destroyed. He was looking for agreement, for one heart willing to say yes to mercy. And yet, He found no one.

This is one of the most sobering truths in Scripture. God wanted to show mercy, but could not find anyone willing to believe He could use them.

Here Am I, Send Me

This brings us to Isaiah chapter 6. Isaiah encounters God during a similar time of spiritual decline. Overwhelmed by God’s holiness, he becomes aware of his own unworthiness. Yet instead of being rejected, he experiences mercy. His lips are cleansed, and then he hears God ask, Who will go for us?

Isaiah does not respond because he feels qualified. He responds because he has encountered mercy. 

He simply says, Here am I. Send me.

God was never looking for perfection. He was looking for availability.

What If God Wants to Use You?

What if God is asking the same question today?

What if He wants to use you in your family, your community, your workplace, or your school? What if the very things you see as limitations are the places where God wants to reveal His strength?

This Christmas, the question is not whether God can use someone. The question is whether we believe He can use us.

The apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians that God does not usually choose the wise, the mighty, or the noble. Instead, He chooses the weak, the overlooked, and those who feel like nothing, so that no one can boast in His presence.

God does not choose us because we are strong. He chooses us because He is merciful.

The Shepherds and the Good News

Luke chapter 2 tells us that the first people to receive the announcement of Christ’s birth were shepherds. They were not influential or admired. Shepherds were considered lowly, often doing that work because no other option was available.

Yet it was to them that the angel appeared.

They were told not to be afraid, because the news they were receiving would bring great joy to all people. The sign was not a king in a palace, but a baby wrapped in simple cloths and lying in a manger.

God chose to enter humanity in its weakest form. He learned to walk, to speak, and to depend on others. In doing so, He showed that He is not distant from our weakness. He is deeply acquainted with it.

In Christ, God wrapped Himself in the rags of our humanity. Our struggles, failures, and inconsistencies did not repel Him. They invited His mercy.

The shepherds went, saw the child, and then shared the news everywhere. The first carriers of the gospel were not the powerful, but the humble.

The Christmas Question

This brings us back to the heart of the message.

It’s Christmas. Do you believe?

Do you believe God can use you to make a difference?

Do you believe He can work through your weakness?

Do you believe He wants to?

God says He did not want judgment. He wanted mercy. He searched for someone willing to agree with Him. Someone willing to believe that their life could be used for His purposes.

Jesus Came to Set People Free

In Luke chapter 4, Jesus declares His mission. He came to preach good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to free the captives, to restore sight to the blind, and to release those who are oppressed.

Freedom is not something we wait for someday. It is something Christ offers now. Anyone who is in Christ becomes a new creation. The old passes away. The new begins.

We are not called to argue about God. We are called to reflect His presence and His mercy in real, tangible ways.

Do You Believe?

Do you believe that what Jesus promised can still happen today?

Do you believe He can use your life to bring hope to others?

This message is not for a select few. It is for those who feel foolish, unqualified, weak, or overlooked. God says you matter to Him. He has shown His love, and He is willing to work through your life, even in the midst of struggle.

It’s Christmas time again. The message is still alive. The invitation still stands.

Do you believe?