Are you in the Christmas Spirit yet?

This year will be better than last year but this Christmas will still be different from Christmas’ before. Most office Christmas parties have been cancelled. The traditional Santa Clause Parade went virtual again this year. You can see the The Nutcracker Ballet at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto but you must be masked for the duration of the performance. It’s all different.

One thing that I have been able to count on — the one thing that has been consistent — is my guilty pleasure, Hallmark Christmas movies. Yes, I said it. I love them. The movies are all pretty much the same— they're not entirely identical, but there is always someone who finds both love and the spirit of Christmas in the span of 1 hour and 55 mins.

There was one story about a boy who promised his fiancee that he was always only a call away. If ever she needed his presence, all she had to do was call. One day while facing a difficult situation… I think her oven broke just before the big gingerbread bake off, she called and asked him to come over quickly. His response was basically, ‘Honey, I will climb the highest mountain to be with you. I will swim the deepest river to be with you. I will travel the longest distance to be with you another day. But sorry, I cannot come today’!! She ended up falling in love with the repairman who showed up immediately. Incidentally he also loved gingerbread!

Corny, sure, but there is something about being there — particularly, being with someone in their time of need.

The name ‘Immanuel’ means, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). It tells us of how God identified with our brokenness and came down to be with us, in the form of Jesus. It tells us that our God was willing to live and dwell among us so that we could experience His love and grace first-hand!

I can imagine the Father telling Jesus as he was about to leave Heaven to be incarnated among humanity, “Son, as you live among them, give them ALL my love”!

That’s exactly what Jesus did as he spread God’s love extravagantly! The fullness of His love was eventually seen through His sacrifice on the cross.

On Sunday mornings we have been working through a series entitled Finding the Missing Peace. Spoiler Alert: Jesus, God with us, is PEACE and our missing peace.

The Prince of Peace, the Lord of Lords is with us. God is with you. God promises that He will never leave you, and He will always be with you!

Join us this Sunday for A Very Special Family Christmas Pageant as we continue to journey through Advent together. Then on Christmas Eve we will conclude our series on Finding the Missing Peace!

Be sure to register for one of the three services we are offering (4pm; 6pm; and 7:30 pm). The services will be identical so pick a time that suits you and your family best.