“ … I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.” from Luke 2:10

 God’s joy is of universal application.

There is much talk today about “inclusiveness.”  It is very important that we include all the people that God has included and that we communicate that they are included.

Sometimes, we are careful to use inclusive language. That neither endorses nor condemns anyone or any choices, behaviors, or beliefs. It is all about the value of the person to God and to us.

The gospel declares that something outside of ourselves, outside of language and theology, outside of our political beliefs, outside of our self-worth and self-justification has invaded the world with good news.

The good news is that whoever you are, whatever you believe, whatever you have done, whatever your opinion of yourself may be, however you choose to identify yourself, you are the object of God’s love and grace.

The news is that Jesus has come to and for you and that you are no different than anyone else in this regard.

The news is a call to respond in faith and obedience. It is a summons to come and worship, to bow down, to seek out the stable and the manger and the child and fall down before Him. It is a call to leave behind our false pride, self-sufficiency, and stubborn ways and follow the way of the cross.

Inclusiveness means, for the believer, a missionary calling.

It means that this good news must be heard by every human being. It means that when we tell it, we are not condemning people, but affirming their worth to God. They are beloved.

When we tell it, we are not excluding them, but inviting them to the table of grace. When we tell it, we are not being obnoxious, but following the clear and gracious compulsion of love.

This kind of inclusiveness does not mean the welcoming of sin, but seeing sin as a common condition that separates men and women from the God who passionately loves them and deeply desires their healing and restoration.

There is no day on the calendar with any greater missional relevance than Christmas.

When God said, “for all people,” He meant it. Can we mean less? Let us reach out with joy to spread the goodness of joy to all people.

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