What do you think Christmas is all about?  We’ve included a video of some people answering that question on the street at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ1050bLTVw

From that experience, or your own, you can probably identify some answers drive religious people crazy: Santa, gifts, Elf on the Shelf, and so on.  They will shout – it’s about Jesus!

You can also probably identify some answers religious people would love.  Jesus is the reason for the season.  A saviour was born.  God is with us.

You can see how polarizing Christmas can be!  It is a religious occasion that is solemn, deep and meaningful, and yet it is also a cultural reality with rampant consumerism, time with family, funny traditions and oddities like eggnog and mistletoe.

You might think Chiristmas shouldn’t be polarizing, and that this is a new reality.  But Christmas and its effect on the world was polarizing not just today, but 2000 years ago.  We’ll see how later this week.

Question: How much of Christmas do you think is religious, and how much is cultural?  How much Santa, how much Jesus?

Reminder: We have a great Christmas event coming December 14th, 2013: The Original Christmas Party.  Hope you’re coming!

Read the Bible in Sync Today

Ryan Sim - January 17, 2014

Friday - Reflect - Reset

Reset

We pray and reflect about a reset in life.

From Series: "Reset"

When our computers get bogged down and unmanageable, we know to hit a reset button to simply start over. Wouldn't a reset button be great in life? We know it would be complicated, with all our responsibilities and routines to consider, but imagine the freedom and refreshment of a new start in life! What would you do differently? What would you pay more attention to, and what would you ignore? How would you avoid getting bogged down and broken again? The great news is, in coming to earth as Jesus Christ, God has begun to "reset" our universe, our world, and even us. We're invited to start over with him, in what he calls his kingdom. We're invited to start a new life with a clean slate. What gets wiped clean, and lived differently, when God resets our lives? We'll explore how God resets these key areas of our lives: Reset: Goals Reset: Time Reset: Money Reset: Work Reset: Body & Food Reset: Sex & Marriage Reset: Family Reset: Compassion Reset: Nature Reset: Society Reset: Death Join us for the next several weeks, and invite God to reset your life.

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