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Jesus didn't need to be baptized. Everyone at the Jordan River was there because they were sinners seeking purification. Jesus was without sin, so he had no reason to step into that water. So why did Jesus insist? Because while we try to avoid what's unclean, God moves toward it. The question is: are we willing to do the same?

We've all seen the wise men in nativity sets, but we rarely ask who they actually were. They were foreign priests who practiced a different religion and worshiped different gods. They were outsiders in every way. But God chose them to be among the first to worship Jesus while leaving the religious insiders behind. What does that reveal about who belongs in God's kingdom?

It doesn't take long after Christmas comes to an end for us to put away our presents, pack away our decorations, throw away the shreds of wrapping paper, and move on to the next thing. But what if part of the reason we feel let down when Christmas comes to an end is because we rush right past it? Maybe if we learn to hold on to the meaning of Christmas we won't feel so disappointed.

We all have a picture in our minds of what Christmas should look like. We want to give and receive the perfect gifts. We want to throw the perfect gatherings. We want all of our decorations to look perfect. But we get disappointed when reality doesn't match our expectations. But the Christmas story reminds us that we don't have to feel let down when things don't go the way we expect. Because sometimes, when we don't get what we want that's when we really get what we need.

We think of Christmas as a time for family gatherings, attending parties, and just being with the people we love. So we can easily feel let down at Christmas when we don't fit in with our family, or get invited to any parties, or have people we feel close to. But even though Christmas is a time when we can feel alone, Jesus' birth reminds us that God is always with us.

We don't mean to be selfish at Christmas, but somehow the holidays become more about what we want to get than what we can give. So our Christmas lists grow longer, our expectations get higher, and we make this season revolve around us.   And that might just be part of why we feel let down at Christmas. Because Christmas isn't about us...it's about Jesus.

When Christmas doesn't feel magical enough, we think the solution is to do more. So we bake more cookies, attend more parties, buy more presents, and put up more decorations. We fill our schedules with so much Christmas activity that there's no room left for anything else.   But maybe part of the reason we feel let down at Christmas is that we keep filling our lives with everything except what matters the most.

We cry out desperately when we need God's help, but when God answers our prayers, we immediately move on to the next problem. David spent over a decade hiding in caves, running for his life, begging God for rescue. When God finally delivered him, David didn't just sigh with relief and worry about what's next. What did David do that most of us forget to do?

We all face giants that feel too big to defeat - the diagnosis that terrifies us, the crisis that keeps us awake, the problem we can't solve. A teenage shepherd boy walked into a valley to face a nine-foot warrior when trained soldiers refused. His confidence didn't come from his own abilities but from something he learned while protecting sheep. What gave David courage when everyone else was paralyzed by fear?

When we mess up badly, we often replay our mistakes over and over until we're convinced we're complete failures. We get so consumed by what we've done wrong that we can't see past our guilt. Yet, David broke half the Ten Commandments in one terrible episode of his life. But somehow he moved from crushing shame to genuine gratitude - how did he do it?

We judge Ebenezer Scrooge for his selfishness, yet during the holidays we often act like him, focusing more on what we want to get than what we can give. It's natural for this season to become all about us without us even realizing it.   But we're never supposed to be selfish. Instead, we're called to be generous. And true generosity isn't measured by the size of our gift but by the size of our sacrifice.

It's easy to think we have all the pieces we need when things are running smoothly. We stick with our systems and avoid complications because efficiency feels safer than inclusion. But what if the people we think we don't need are actually essential? Because every person plays an important part in making the church who we are.

We all have things we want to do but avoid starting because we're afraid we'll mess it up. The fear of imperfection keeps us from taking the first step toward serving others. But what if God doesn't need our perfection before we begin? Sometimes the most beautiful outcomes come from the messiest beginnings.

You learned the rules early - don't chew with your mouth open, say please and thank you, keep your elbows off the table. But are these the most important manners we can have? What if there's a different kind of etiquette that matters more than any manners your parents taught you, one that could change not just how you eat, but how you live?

From the car you prefer to drive to the way you like to spend your free time, our lives are filled with choices we make that can divide us. So how can we, as followers of Jesus, find a way to be united when there are so many things that try to pull us apart? At the communion table, we're reminded that no matter our differences, we are one body: the body of Christ.

We live in a world that constantly tells us we have to earn our place at the table by being the strongest, the richest, or the most popular. But no matter how hard you try, there will always be people who seem to be better than you. But that's not how it works in God's kingdom. In God's kingdom, everyone has a place at the table...not because we've earned it but because God wants us to be there.

Most of us never want to eat anything we deem to be disgusting. But sometimes it's the things that are the hardest to swallow that can change us the most. At the communion table Jesus talks about eating his flesh and drinking his blood (which sounds pretty gross), but when we take communion we can be changed forever.

What is a table? That may seem like a pretty ridiculous question. A table is a pretty ordinary piece of furniture with four legs and a top. But there are times when ordinary tables can become something extraordinary. Like when we come together at the communion table. Because at this table, we have the chance to become more like Jesus.

Everyone thinks they know what heaven looks like - there will be golden streets, pearly gates, and massive mansions. But what if our entire understanding of our eternal reward has been completely backwards? What if the real treasure waiting for us isn't about luxury real estate, but something infinitely more valuable that changes everything about how we live today?

Have you ever felt like your prayers weren't making it beyond your ceiling? Has someone ever talked down to you or treated you poorly because of their beliefs? Have you ever felt like throwing up your hands and walking away from faith? If you're at that breaking point right now, it's worth holding on because, even when we're ready to quit, God is still working.