Which do you think is harder


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December 25, 2016 Christmas Day Luke 2:6-7 Pastor Wayne Puls, Senior Pastor at Hope Lutheran Church I’ve told this story before, but it’s Christmas Day, so I’m going to tell it again. There was an atheist – a person who didn’t believe in any god – walking through the woods in Alaska one day, admiring all that evolution had brought about: the majestic trees, the powerful river, the beautiful animals. As he was walking along, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. Turning to look, he saw a 13-foot Kodiak brown bear charging at him. He ran as fast as he could down the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was gaining ground. He put it in high gear, and tried to run even faster. But he tripped on a rock and fell to the ground. As he rolled over to pick himself up, the bear was right over him, about to grab him with his claws. “Oh, my God!” the atheist screamed … and then time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent. Even the river stopped moving. As a brilliant light shone down on the man, a thunderous voice came from all around, “You deny my existence for all these years, teach others that I don’t exist, and even credit my creation to some cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you? Am I to count you as a believer?” Squinting like crazy, the atheist looked up at the light and said, “It would be hypocritical to ask to be a Christian after all these years … but perhaps you could make the bear a Christian?”

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“Very well,” said the voice. The light went out. The river ran. The sounds of the forest resumed … and the bear dropped down on his knees, brought both paws together, bowed his head and spoke, “Lord, thank you for this food which I am about to receive.” Now, which do you think is harder? For an atheist to become a believer, or for a bear to become a Christian? I don’t know many Kodiak brown bears; but I do know some atheists. I know plenty of other people, too – people who are Christian believers – but they’re having a hard time believing these days. With our 21st-century world changing around us so swiftly and so thoroughly, it’s not easy being a Christian believer, is it? With our American culture around us saying louder and louder, “There are no absolute truth and unchangeable moral standards! Whatever you want to believe is fine!” … holding on to the time-tested tenets of our faith is a real challenge. With all of the world, national, local, and even personal surprises and jolts that each of us has to sort out spiritually these days, it’s not easy to be a believer, is it? Many believers find it hard to believe sometimes! Except, some would say, at Christmas. Church attendance goes up every December. Hope was packed last night, and you all are here on Christmas morning. We all love being in church at Christmas, because it’s tradition, it’s family, it’s familiar. Yet, when you sweep away all the pine needles and pack away all the lights -- when you rummage around deep down for what really happened -- Christmas isn’t so easy. It’s hard! The story of Christmas is hard.

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The Son of God born in human flesh? Born in a barn? Born of a virgin? God and man in one little baby? Angels singing in the night sky? Wise Men following a moving star? We believe all that? It’s easy to get excited about Christmas; but the Christmas story, the Christmas faith, is not easy. The life of faith, the Christian’s daily walk with God, is not an easy one. It’s hard. We Christians are supposed to believe in things that aren’t rational, things that are beyond human comprehension. We Christians are challenged to act in ways that put others ahead of ourselves, to think in ways that challenge the world’s thinking, to set priorities that are different from everybody else’s. We’re supposed to be able to come to a place like this, on a day like this, and sense not just the holiday atmosphere and the cool ambience, but sense the presence and the love of God himself. That’s not easy, is it? None of that is easy. The Christian faith is challenging; but, I’ve got to tell you, I need challenging. The walk of faith is hard; but I need to take those steps. I need to recognize that a part of me, and a part of all life, is spiritual -- not rational, beyond comprehension – and I need to have that spiritual part of my life come alive at times. And it’s not just me. Maybe you do, too. And when it comes to trying to follow God’s ways, in my actions, thoughts, and priorities -- instead of always following what’s out there in the world -- again, I need that to happen. The truth is that there’s just so much of what goes on out there in the world that’s downright selfish, evil, and destructive. I bring enough of that stuff on myself, without any help from out there. I need to see and to follow another

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way more often. I need to walk that narrow, difficult path with God; because, on my own, I end up on the broad, easy path of the world – and I wind up all too often in trouble. Maybe that’s true for you, also. On this Christmas Day, we have to see that the claim of Christianity on our spirits is formidable. The claim of that Christmas story, the claim of that baby born in the barn, the claim of God. is intense; but our spirits need that. Mine sure does. What about yours? Christmas is a call to believe. It’s definitely hard, but believe today in the presence of God. He’s here for you. He’s here with you. He’s here loving you. He’s here forgiving you. He’s here welcoming you. He’s here to walk with you … so that when those 13-foot Kodiak brown bears start coming after you in life, you’ll believe already. You’ll know what you believe, whom you believe in, and why you believe in him. May that gift of believing be yours this day. May it be the most precious gift you receive. In Jesus’ name. Merry Christmas! Amen.

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