December 1, 2023

What are your favorite Christmas traditions? 

We all have them, some we love, some we loathe, but they are there no matter what. In the same way, traditions can sometimes be wonderful and life giving, while other times they can become lifeless rituals. This Sunday we will consider how  

Traditions can both be remarkable reminders of or devious distractions from what matters most. 

Specifically, Christmas is a season when we remember the God who is with us. We learned the past few months about the failures of God’s people of the past. Israel forgot who God was and fell further and further from his will and his ways. Their failure during the time of the Judges centered on their forgetting God’s character. Therefore, for the next four Sundays of Advent, we will be  

Learning the character of God in the story of Christmas. 

Here is our invitation. Will you set aside anything distracting in this season and keep your focus entirely upon this one, most important invitation? 

Will you get to know the character of the God who is with us? 

The theme of Advent is, “Unadorned.” It is an invitation to strip away any of the “adornments” that are ultimately distracting us so that our focus can be on what matters most. 

I am excited to begin the advent season with you this Sunday.