School's rather amazing at the mo. Because I'm new it gives me a well good opportunity to tell everyone about being a Christian. The other day a few of us spent about an hour and a half discussing religion and it ended with one guy taking out the Bible from the school library. Class! That's what gave me the idea to set up some sort of CU. What I intend to do is get someone from my church to come in maybe once a month a give like a 'big topic' talk, because it's the kind of school where that will thrive. And then fortnightly just run a CU. I've had quite a bit of interest from my mates and I'm going to ask the headmaster on Fri. But I'm pretty certain he'll let me do it. Should be good.                   

BIBLE BIT

In this 8 week series we're searching for the truth behind the real meaning of Christmas so that in the build up to Christmas we may know with certainty and be thrilled!

Week 1- Luke 1 v3-4: Know with Certainty
Week 2 -Luke 1 v31-37: Nothing is impossible for God
Week 3 - Luke 2 v1-7: In God's time, In God's plan
Week 4 - Luke 2v8-10: "For All people"

Okay - so think of the most unliked person at your sports club or your school. You maybe think it's you! Now think of the most disliked people group in the UK who would they be? I'd probably go for either traffic wardens or the homeless. Most people turn their noses up at these groups of people, they are simply disliked.

Remember the story. We know that Luke writes all these details so that his readers will know for certainty. We have seen how the angel met with Mary and gave her a glimpse of the miraculous God and then gave birth to a baby calling him Jesus. This birth was special and the news of this birth was groundbreaking and could not be contained.

The shepherds were the traffic wardens of their day. They were disliked by people, they were thought of as the lowest group in society - outcasts! And one normal night in history as they looked after their sheep it all kicked off. Can you imagine the scene - just an ordinary night and then hey an angel of Lord appeared and the glory of God shone around them! We can't imagine the scene, but I wonder how we would have reacted. It says that the shepherds were so terrified they were literally speechless!!

'Don't be afraid' seems like the perfect response from the angels. They had news - good news - news of great joy and this news is for all people. What an amazing plan from God. If this news really is for all people, what better place to begin than with the social outcasts. This news was for the rich and the poor, the sick and the healthy, the Jew and Gentile. This good news of great joy is for every single person throughout the generations that ever walked the earth. It is for your mates at school, your granny and gramps, it's for your school teacher, it's for your postman and lolly-pop lady and it's for your sporty friends.

Oh what news we have heard! This news of great joy is for my mates that don't yet know Jesus. For Cozza, Lewi and Burty. The big question is - will I share it with them this Christmas?

Will you share this good news of great joy with your friends - for it is for them indeed, it is for all people!