Isaiah 7:1-2, 7–14; 1 John 4:7-16; John 1:1–14 (15–18)

What does it mean to be a real Christian? The world paints many unhelpful caricatures of what it means to be a Christian. They say it is about blind faith and ignorance that lead to judgmentalism and bigotry. Sadly, the way many Christians behave affirms this belief. Real Christianity is about living with and serving Immanuel, the God who is with us, in us, and works through us. It is about loving the unlovable and forgiving the unforgivable because that is what God did for us in Jesus. Today, we begin a seven week exploration of who and what a real Christian is. Be prepared to be encouraged, uplifted, challenged and called to action. Let’s begin living the life of a real Christian.