Near West Vineyard Church – Chicago, IL

We’ll be moving the gathering up one hour to enjoy the Superbowl. Feel free to invite people to a party afterward. We believe that it is important to connect with people and this is a great time to do it.

Right about now it can be really easy to lose sight of the point of Christmas. Stores have been bombarding customers with Christmas music for almost the last two months in hope of sending customers in a zombie-like trance to the cash registers. For those attempting to finish any last minute shopping, it would be best to protect yourself with a space-suit of patience. For those of you who don’t shop for Christmas you may be feeling like you were missing the point of Christmas. And finally, for those who don’t “celebrate” Christmas, it would be wonderful to hear what, if anything , is appealing about this hyped and sometimes joyless “happy holiday.”
Jesus came to this earth naked. The biblical account has him wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying in a manger. He came to the earth to laying in a feeding trough since there was no room in the inn. There was no glitz, no radio voice doing introductions, and no theme song. It was most likely a chilled Fall night with the smell of manure wafting in the air and parents happy that their baby boy was healthy and at least sheltered somewhere.
Now that is not is say it wasn’t without fanfare: a declaration of infanticide, narrow escapes, dreams, angels, magi, and presents. But the focus is on what this infant embodies: the reconciliation of the human race to God. It meant that each human being could now connect with God in a way that wasn’t possible before. No more striving, no more frustration and a lot of peace. Jesus came as more than just a baby. Jesus came to give life to all of those who trust in him.