Luke 4:14-30

At Christmas, we rightly celebrate the gift of Jesus with joy and thanksgiving. Yet it’s worth noting how many in Jesus’ day did not receive him with joy and thanksgiving. As John noted in his gospel, “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (John 1:11). In fact, more than merely ignoring Jesus, many rejected him to his face and even plotted to kill him. In reality, Jesus was the gift that many didn’t want, usually because he demanded too much or because he didn’t do what people expected or because he claimed too much authority for himself.
Throughout Advent, we’ll be looking at examples of times when Jesus was rejected, and we’ll see again and again that Jesus is not a gift we get to form into our expectations and desires; rather, we must be transformed by and submitted to him. The questions this series will ask with each text are, why was Jesus rejected…and are we prepared to receive him as he is rather than as we may want him to be?

December 20: John 8:48-59 – The Pharisees and The Unwanted Gift

December 25: Romans 6:15-23 – The Gift of God

December 31: 6:30 pm – New Year’s Eve Service