Every year at our family Christmas celebration, Cherie’s mom bakes a

birthday cake for Jesus. We light candles and sing happy birthday to Jesus. Perhaps you have done something similar? It is a simple reminder that Christmas is all about Jesus.

As we grow older, it may seem like the magic and wonder of Christmas starts to fade. When we look at Scripture, we can be reminded of why Christmas happens and the eternal joy that it brings.

There is much made in our society today about the equality of resources. There is a growing concern over the “gap” between the rich and the poor. This fascination with the rich/poor gap is nothing new. We can learn from an observation Jesus makes in the temple concerning this divide

between the rich and the poor.

When you were a kid, did you have a stuffed animal or a blanket that you couldn’t leave the house without? Or you wouldn’t go to bed unless you had it? We probably don't treasure that same item today. We need to make sure that we are treasuring

the eternal over the temporal!

I recently saw an old interview with economist, Milton Friedman, who asked, “Is there some society you know that doesn’t run on greed?” And I thought, “wait does every society really run on greed?” Friedman was replying to an interviewer who was equating capitalism with greed

and, I think, Friedman would contend that there is a difference. If nothing motivates like self interests then we should certainly be on the look out for greed in our lives.

It is pretty amazing to see a team in action. It is so cool to see a double play turned, a great three on one break in basketball or a football play run to perfection. It is equally impressive to listen to an orchestra hit all the right notes or a quartet harmonize together. Teamwork is a beautiful thing and the church is the ultimate team!

This closing section of Romans 15 shows us how we can learn from the example of others as well as be an example ourselves.

Romans 15 gives a clear picture of how the church can be the example of Christ to the world.