Welcome

Scripture: Luke 2:21-33
Message: Welcome: Ready or Not
Speaker: Tyler Graftaas

A couple of weeks ago I shared how, at the Graftaas house, none of us likes keeping the place tidy or clean (although we like a clean and tidy house, paradoxes abound). However, when we know guests are coming, we generally work together to properly prepare the place for our guest’s arrival. This week I want to push that analogy even further. When we invite people to our house we have time to prepare, however, the reality is people stop by unannounced. As such, the question is not only how do we welcome those who come at our invitation (a controlled situation), but how do we welcome them when they come on their own (an uncontrolled situation)? As we look at Simeon, a righteous and devout man, we see that he was ready to welcome the Messiah and fully embraced what God was doing when a particular month-old baby showed up at the temple unannounced, but according to the law.