You might have missed the words while walking through Macy's in the middle of the night on Black Friday last week, but even by day- listen. "Christ by highest heav'n adored, Christ the ever lasting Lord." Strange words to provide background for shopping, but who is this Messiah that heaven is in love with? To get ready for Jesus' birthday celebration on the 25th we need to discover who he actually is. So let's take a journey to Christmas, and in this case we can't begin at the beginning. We have to start before the beginning. Turn to John Chapter 1 and listen.

Our Christmas lights are up and shining both inside and out. The party cycle has begun, and yet counselors find that in the midst of all the yuletide cheer many of us wrestle with dark fears and sadness. Where can we find some life and light that doesn't blow a fuse like a cheap strand of Christmas lights?

You might have missed the words while walking through Macy's in the middle of the night on Black Friday last week, but even by day- listen. "Christ by highest heav'n adored, Christ the ever lasting Lord." Strange words to provide background for shopping, but who is this Messiah that heaven is in love with? To get ready for Jesus' birthday celebration on the 25th we need to discover who he actually is. So let's take a journey to Christmas, and in this case we can't begin at the beginning. We have to start before the beginning. Turn to John Chapter 1 and listen.

When asked what they learned in their college class on World Religion, a student replied, "I learned that Jesus was Jewish." If you've been raised on the Christmas story knowing that Jesus was born a little south of Jerusalem in the City of David, you take it for granted that Jesus was Jewish, but why Jesus was rejected by His own people is one of the big questions in history. Turn to John's Gospel, the fourth first century Gospel and then listen to the discussion titled, "At Bethlehem—The Rejected Creator.

Have you ever felt totally stressed, exhausted, at the end of your rope? Of course it's Christmas—the time that's supposed to be filled with cheer that often becomes filled with tears. What's awesome is that God didn't scold us from a safe distance. Instead He entered our messed up world to join us and deliver us.