The far away came to worship. The near and knowledgeable stayed home. Jesus' birth continues to set the tone for a kingdom that pursues all the "wrong" people.

Without context, Jesus' birth might only be inspiring. But when we grapple with the pain of our self-inflicted exile, we can finally understand the true significance of the birth of the one named "The Lord Saves."

Would you want to air all the awful things you or your family has done to the entire world? Matthew's Genealogy of Jesus gives us hope because it shows us that not only are the "good" people included, but even the worst of us can find a place in the eternal family of God's People.

Jesus prays for his followers and all the believers that would come after. What is his prayer? That they may be one.

Jesus's final words to his disciples before his arrest repeat his desire for them to have peace in the midst of the coming storm. He reminds Christians of any time that while we will endure trials, these troubles are in fact birth pains of the coming Kingdom. His final words make it clear that this is certain because He has overcome the world and all of the forces aligned against him.

Jesus must depart because then the Helper will come to us, one like Jesus who will convict the world of sin and who guides those who belong to God in the truth.

We all struggle to deal with being persecuted for Jesus' name. As His final hours with the disciples tick away, Jesus addresses this struggle head on.

When our sense of stability is threatened, we all begin to wander, looking for a place of safety and refuge. As Jesus inches closer to His own death, He encourages His followers to remain connected to Him.

Jesus promises his disciples peace in the present because of the presence of a coming Helper. His promise has tremendous implications for where we find our hope in the midst of our current unrest.

The disciples are distressed. Jesus has just told them they can no longer follow Him. So Jesus speaks comfort by revealing His plan to live with His people forever.