Reading: Matthew 2:13-18 Christmas is a time for family reunions and family road trips. Do you remember a Christmas road trip that did not go as planned? Was it a mess? The road trip for Jesus and His earthly family was a hot mess. First, Mary is six months pregnant and walks 80 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Then, because Herod is a murderous maniac, Jesus and His family must make their way home through Egypt of all places. Matthew says, “this was to fulfill.” Imagine that, the plan and purpose of Almighty God is accomplished through a messy road trip.

From Series: Messy Christmas | More Messages from Pastor Mark Couser | Download Audio

From Series: "Messy Christmas"

Advent 2017 Life is messy – clean it up. This might be helpful advice for cleaning up a home but what about a life? We often live as if we must clean up our life before God will bless us, pay attention to us or even love us. ‘Tis the season for feeling guilty for a busy life. ‘Tis the season for being disappointed that our expectations are not met, that our family is not all that it should be, that we do not measure up. During this Christmas season, we will be renewed in faith and comforted that God does not wait for our messy life to be cleaned up. Instead, he enters our mess and through Immanuel, God with us, we are made clean in Him.