Christmas may not have much “Jesus Christ” inside of it. Do the children focus on the presents they received on Christmas morning? Do we prefer to make the money on a public holiday, getting paid double or triple? Do we focus on going away on holidays to some exotic location?

Recently, someone asked me, “Andrew, why do you volunteer in a church choir group even though some of the music and songs you dislike and the fact that some choir members make comments which criticise you?”

I responded that this is precisely what Christmas is about, our willingness to step into what seems uncomfortable, disliking, or hard to bear. Jesus Christ entered a world of messiness and hardship. A place where he could have been killed as a fragile baby. Why did God do this?

To bring hope and love through an act of faith. Faith is not knowing what will happen. It requires a more profound sense of trust.

Do we choose to do the same?

Do we choose to have those conversations with our family members or friends who get on our nerves?

Do we choose to volunteer our time to bring joy to those in need?

Do we choose to go to church to express our gratitude to God and not expect anything in return? Why do we need to get something out of it? Why do we need to make X amount of money or achieve X amount of return before we recognise that this is a grace-filled moment?

Christmas is not about getting what we want or like on Christmas morning.

Christmas is not about what “we” make of it. Christmas is about Christ living in what we think, feel, and do. Christmas is about bringing Christ into the world so that others can see.

Journal and reflect on the following
  1. Where do I notice myself being more focused on comfort, reward, or convenience during Christmas rather than on the presence of Christ? What might this reveal about my priorities?
  2. When have I avoided something because it felt uncomfortable, inconvenient, or challenging, and how might Christ be inviting me to step into that space instead?
  3. What does it mean for me personally that Jesus entered a world of vulnerability, uncertainty, and risk? How does this challenge my understanding of faith?
  4. In what ways do I resist situations or relationships that stretch my patience, generosity, or compassion? What might God be inviting me to learn through these moments?
  5. How do I understand faith as trust rather than certainty? Where in my life am I being asked to trust without knowing the outcome?
  6. When I give my time, energy, or presence to others, am I seeking something in return, or can I see this as a gift freely given?
  7. What would it look like for Christ to live more fully in my thoughts, choices, and actions this Christmas? How can I help make Christ visible to others through the way I live?
Stop and journal for 10 minutes

Discuss

Now….Listen to “O Come, O Come Emmanuel by Selah”



Please pray the final prayer together

Final Prayer

Loving God,
as we celebrate the mystery of Christmas, help us to look beyond comfort, routine, and expectation, and instead open our hearts to the deeper call of Your presence. Teach us to welcome You not only in moments of joy, but also in discomfort, uncertainty, and sacrifice. Give us the courage to choose love when it is inconvenient, to serve when it costs us something, and to trust You when the path ahead is unclear. May Christ live in our thoughts, our actions, and our relationships, so that through us, Your light and hope may be made visible to the world. Amen.
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