Sunday Sermon Keynotes Sunday, December 28, 2025

The Week After

Your Quick Spiritual Refresh for the Week Ahead

Main Theme

"Finding God’s presence not just in the glow of the manger, but in the shadows of the world’s pain and the uncertainty of the road ahead."

Service Summary

This week, we look at the jarring shift from the peace of Christmas to the crisis of the Flight into Egypt. The sermon confronts the reality of the Slaughter of the Innocents and the weeping of Rachel, reminding us that God chose to enter a world where pain and cruelty exist. We explore how Joseph and Mary faced a terrifying "day after," teaching us that even when the songs end and the shadows fall, we are never outside the reach of Christ's love.

This Week's Actionable Tips

1. Acknowledge the Shadow: If you are carrying grief or worry this week, don't hide it. Like Rachel's lamentation, bring your honest pain to God, knowing He entered our world specifically to be with us in those moments.
2. Pray for the Displaced: Remember the Holy Family was a refugee family. Take time this week to pray for those fleeing violence, seeking safety, or living as strangers in a new land.
3. Seek the Unwritten Story: Meditate on Hebrews 2:18. Remember that because Jesus was tested through suffering, He is able to help you right now. Write down one way you can trust His help this week.

Need a Simple Explanation?

Christmas isn't just a one-day celebration; it's the start of God walking with us through the hard parts of life. Even though the "day after" the miracle brought fear for Joseph and sadness for the families of Bethlehem, God stayed present. Just as the Holy Family had to keep moving toward safety, we have to keep moving forward with faith. The lesson is simple: God didn't come for a world that's already perfect; He came to be the light in the middle of our darkest shadows.

Read Full Sunday Sermon

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Philip Yancey sums it up powerfully with Hebrews 12:15:
"See to it that no one misses out on God's grace."

May you go from here carrying God's grace into the shadows—so that in every corner of your world, grace is seen, heard, and felt.

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