Every December, the world slows down, if only for a moment, to remember a story that has been told for more than two thousand years. It’s a story filled with light, promise, and good news of great joy. Yet tucked within that familiar narrative are some unlikely figures whose courage, kindness, and obedience shaped the very first Christmas. This Advent season at Spring Bay Pentecostal Church, we’ve been exploring ‘The Unexpected Heroes in the Christmas Story,’ and perhaps now more than ever, their stories speak to us.

   When we think of heroes, and we often picture the strong, the influential, or the powerful. But the Christmas story flips that expectation on its head. Instead, God chooses ordinary people, individuals whose lives looked unremarkable from the outside, to play extraordinary roles in His plan.

   Take, for example, the innkeeper. He’s often portrayed as the one who didn’t make room, the man who turned Mary and Joseph away. But Scripture doesn’t paint him as harsh or unkind, only as someone who had no vacancy. Yet even in the fullness of his world, he offered what he could. Space in the stable. Sometimes being a hero simply means doing the best you can with what you have. His small act of hospitality became the setting where the Light of the World was born.

   Then there are the shepherds, the night-shift workers of the first century. They were among the lowest on the social ladder, not exactly the group you’d expect to receive an angelic choir. But God chose them first to hear the news that would change the world. They responded not with hesitation but with immediate joy, running to Bethlehem to witness the miracle. Their heroism wasn’t found in prestige but in their willingness to believe, to go, and to share what they had seen.

   We can’t forget Joseph, a quiet hero whose obedience protected and preserved the Holy Family. His bravery didn’t look like a battlefield, it looked like trust, trust in God, trust in the message delivered in a dream, trust in a future he couldn’t yet imagine. Mary, too, stands as one of the greatest unexpected heroes. A young woman from a small town, as she said yes to God with a faith that continues to inspire generations.

   The Christmas story reminds us that God does extraordinary things through ordinary people. Heroes of faith rarely come with capes or titles. They come with open hearts and willing hands. And perhaps that’s the most hopeful part of the story. There is room for us, too.

This Christmas, maybe the challenge for each of us is to step into our own unexpected moments of heroism. Choosing generosity when the world feels stretched thin, choosing kindness when stress is high, choosing faith when the future feels uncertain, and choosing to make room for Christ in the chaos of our modern lives.

As we celebrate the season, may we be reminded that God still works through everyday people in everyday places. The same God who moved through a carpenter, a young woman, a group of shepherds, and a busy innkeeper continues to move through you.

   You’re invited to join us as we continue exploring these themes and celebrate the beauty of Christmas together. Spring Bay Pentecostal Church will hold its Christmas Eve Service on Wednesday, December 24 at 5 pm. It’s a warm, family-friendly gathering with carols, Scripture, and the story that continues to bring hope to our world.    

   We would love to welcome you. From our church family to yours, may you experience peace, joy, and the wonder of God’s presence this Christmas season.

Pastor Jamie Greenwood

Spring Bay Pentecostal Church