Holy families don’t have to be perfect, but by caring for one another with heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with and forgiving one another, through prayer, sacrificial love and putting God first in all that we do, our families can become Holy families, and by our example, change the world for Christ.

Perhaps the most famous line in all of Scripture Sums it up best: For God so loved the world he GAVE his only beloved Son.

God loves, so God gives. We believe; we receive. It’s as simple as saying it in your heart and allowing it to begin to be reflected in your life. It’s as simple as the story of the shepherds. You remember how that story ends?

Luke introduces his readers to a young girl named Mary. She was probably no more than 14 to 15 years old. She is engaged to marry a man named Joseph. The Archangel Gabriel invited Mary to participate in the Nativity of our Lord. Jesus invites us to participate in Christmas by inviting others into the joy of the season.

Jesus came into the world to bring joy, and he invites his followers to do the same. Joy is crucial not just to Christmas but to the whole of the Christian life. If you cultivate joy in your heart, if you set your mind on it, it can heal any hurt, overcome any obstacle, provide remedy for any pain. Joy is the simplest and most complete form of gratitude.

The prophet of Isaiah speaks a message of comfort to a people who are living in exile. He says that God will care for them and show his love. Like God, we are to bring comfort to those in need.

The prophet Isaiah cries out for God’s presence. He asks God to come down and put things right in Israel. This is what God did at Christmas. He came and was present. In this message we will look at the importance of simply being present for others. God gives us the gift of himself. You too can give the gift of self, yourself. Your presence may be the best present you can give. Make your present a high quality presence. Since you can only be in one place at one time it’s a “one at a time” kind of gift, a “one of a kind” kind of gift.

In this week we will introduce the value of generosity and how we naturally are in a giving mood in the Christmas season. The Gospel of Matthew reminds us that when we give, especially to those in need physically or spiritually, we are really giving to Jesus. We give because it gives to Jesus and because Jesus promises a reward to people who are generous with their time, their money and their energy.

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, we all have the opportunity to thank God by taking the Next Step with our financial giving. When you take the next step and thank God in this way, you will be affirmed, promoted, and invited to share your Master’s joy.

To serve means to be of use to God by being useful to others. To love God and love others by putting love into action. We can serve others in many ways. For Jesus, serving wasn’t just a good idea, it was the whole idea, the whole idea of his life..

For your faith journey and spiritual growth to have staying power, you need to be known and loved and supported by others who are also trying to live out their faith. Without Christ-centered friendships, our walk of faith will most certainly be a slower, less steady one, and we’re far more likely to fall and fail.