One of our favorite songs at Kansas Christian Church is "Holy Ground." When we sing it, I can look around the room and watch as my friends become acutely aware of the presence of God. We sing the line, "And I know there are angels all around," and I genuinely believe we do.

The song builds off several Bible passages, most notably Moses' encounter with God through the burning bush. But while our song is beautiful, Moses' story is strange and lonely. He's out there because of his guilt and shame. He's been running away from his responsibilities, and yet that's precisely where God encounters him.

What if "holy ground" is not a place of beauty but a place of pain and dread? What if God meets you in a desert place in your life and calls you to take off your shoes so that nothing will come between you and him?

It's the day after Christmas. So what's left to do other than put away the tree and toss out the used wrapping paper? We've spent a month working ourselves up for the big event, and now it's time to put it all behind us, right?

At the end of Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol," after Scrooge's transformation, we read, "And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge." I believe that "keeping Christmas" must be something done more than one day a year. Keeping Christmas means keeping the message alive all year long.

"Fear not!" Those words, spoken by the angel Gabriel to a young girl named Mary, are followed with words of incredible value. "For you have found favor with God." With those words, any fear of judgment or condemnation was assuaged. This was a message of grace, and God's grace banishes the fear of judgment.

Those around us need to know there is favor to be found with God. Instead, they spend their lives hearing words of condemnation. They are told they aren't good enough and are made to feel they are not loved. They need to know the favor—the grace found in Jesus.

Mary's response to the angel's message comes in a song she sings to her cousin, Elizabeth. Her song begins very personally with, "all generations will call ME blessed," but it ends with a blessing for all. God "has filled the hungry with good things."

Are you hungry for God's grace? Are you starving to know his favor? Then, Mary's song is for you.

When we were first married, Trish bought us a beautiful porcelain nativity with many pieces. It has camels, a donkey, all three wise men, and a smattering of shepherds. There is a problem, though. Every year when I set the pieces out, I have to wonder, "Is this a shepherd . . . or is it Joseph?" I admit there's been more than one year when I've mistaken Joseph for a shepherd and vise versa.

Joseph tends to get lost in our Christmas story. Sure, he belongs in the center of the nativity, but he often gets relegated to the sidelines. We realize, though, just as God chose Mary, he chose Joseph. Moreover, there are qualities to his character that caught God's attention. I believe those are qualities God still looks for in us, and we ought to look for in each other.

In this message, we dig into Joseph's story and see what Advent brings to those who need someone to believe in them.

It has often been said that the most common command in the Bible is "Fear not." But what amazes me is how often those words appear in the Christmas story. "Fear not" is spoken to the shepherds by the angels, Mary by Gabriel, and Joseph in a dream. But before those words are spoken of Jesus' birth, they're said to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist.

But it's not just "fear not." Zechariah is told, "Fear not, your prayer has been heard." The command to not be afraid is tied to the deepest desire in Zechariah's heart, a hope he refused to let go of even when all hope seemed to be gone.

What if God hears your greatest hope? What if your greatest fear could melt away in his presence? This is where we begin the Christmas story in Luke, and it could be where the Christmas story meets each of us.

Thanksgiving is coming. Every November, people on Facebook spend the month sharing what's on their list of things they're thankful for. Those posts often cause me to realize that I'm thankful for the same things! Their giving thanks literally gives ME thanks!

Giving is like that, whether it's thanksgiving or caregiving, or simply giving to support someone's need. Our gift has a far more significant effect than just meeting a need. And in some miraculous way, we receive back more than we can know.

In Philippians 4, Paul thanks his friends for the gift they have given him, but he wants them to know what they have received. In providing for him, they've learned the promise that, as Paul says, "my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). In giving, they've received back so much more.

There are verses from our Bibles that find their way to our refrigerator doors. We put them there to remind us of their truth or promises. Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice," might be one of them. It's a great reminder of God's call to rejoice despite our circumstances.

But the verses immediately before this call to rejoice likely won't find their way to our refrigerator. In verses 2 and 3, Paul writes of two women in the Philippians church who weren't getting along. "I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord." This verse isn't the stuff of refrigerator doors—it's the stuff of gossip sessions. Can you imagine the talk around Philippi the morning after this letter was read in church? What did the locals down at the coffee shop think of these two ladies called out by the apostle Paul? What did they make of his call for them to help these two agree?

Can you imagine? Well, in this message we will. We'll imagine how this letter might have been received by people who weren't any different than us. And since the names Euodia and Syntyche seem far removed from our world, we'll bring them closer and hear what Paul has to say about "Eunice and Cindy."

There are people on your list and people on mine, those who showed you what it truly means to be a Christian. Through their kindness, they demonstrated the love and compassion of Jesus. They made the life of faith seem possible and within your grasp. If they could do it, you could do it!

In Philippians 3:17, Paul writes, "keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us." Sometimes we need to look back to see those who showed us what this life looks like. When you can't see your way forward, remember.

My priorities changed at 3:53 this morning. A little girl named Ruby came into the world, and I want to do everything I can to know her. But, to do that, some things that used to be important will have to be laid aside, and other things that previously weren't important to me will have to be taken up, like being known as "grandpa."

I hear something of my change of priorities in the words of Paul from Philippians 3:8, "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ." Paul's priorities changed, and knowing Christ became the center of his being. Everything he had previously held dear had to fall into step behind Jesus.

The Beatles told us they get by with a little help from their friends. A generation earlier, Cole Porter told us friendship is just the perfect blendship. Then my generation came along, and we were stuck with Michael W. Smith telling us friends are friends forever, which we sang at every campfire on the last day of church camp.

The song lasted longer than most of those friendships (or it felt like it did anyway).

Whatever your "friendship anthem" is, you know the importance of those relationships you hold most dear. In Philippians 2:19-30, Paul pauses from his teaching and encouragement to tell the Philippians about a couple of his friends. He details what they mean to him personally and how he couldn't get by without a little help from them.

In this message, we will hear about Paul's friends, and we will see our friendships reflected in his words.