Knock at the door...

Then, around 9:00 p.m., we heard a knock on the door.

Now, when someone knocks on your door at 9:00 at night, your mind starts doing some quick calculations. It was definitely not neighbor kids. It was too late for package deliveries. And it felt a little late for Jehovah’s Witnesses. So naturally, my curiosity went up, along with my alert level.

I walked to the door and opened it.

Standing there was a complete stranger.

He looked like a really nice guy. He was clean-cut, polite, and wearing a shirt with a university logo. But in that split second, my brain ran through about fifteen thoughts. Who is this? Why is he here? And most importantly, if this goes sideways, could I take this guy?

The honest answer was nope. He was big. Younger than me. And looked like he would have beaten me in the prime of my life, and since I’m turning 50 this year, even my best days are in the rear view.

Thankfully, he immediately explained that he had been invited to stay with the guy who lives in our basement apartment. There was just one small problem. He was on the youth retreat with one of our kids.

So there we stood. A stranger on the porch. Me trying to decide what to do. And him probably wondering if he was about to spend the night sleeping in his car.

After a moment of thinking it through, we decided to let him come in.

A little while later, we found ourselves sitting around the kitchen island sharing some leftovers and getting to know each other. As it turns out, he had traveled to Kansas City to audition to sing the national anthem for the Kansas City Royals. He also coaches college wrestling and simply needed a place to sleep for the night.

What started as a slightly awkward and mildly suspenseful moment at the front door ended with good conversation, some laughter, and a brand new friend.

This Sunday, we are continuing our series in Luke, and we will be in Luke 2:1–20. This is the classic Christmas story. And interestingly enough, this story also includes some people who arrived in town looking for a place to stay.

Joseph and Mary traveled about eighty miles to Bethlehem. Mary was very pregnant. They were tired. They needed a place to sleep. But every door seemed closed.

What looked like an ordinary night turned into the most extraordinary moment in history. Because when Jesus arrived, everything changed.

I sure hope to see you this Sunday as we look at this familiar story with fresh eyes and see how one quiet night in Bethlehem reshaped the world forever. Services are at 8:00, 9:15 (Full KidCity available), or 10:45 am (Full KidCity available), or you can watch the Livestream on YouTube (Like and Subscribe) or on our New Life website at 9:15 am. Also, we would LOVE for you to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. 

Have a great weekend,

Troy