As we dig into the opening of the Sermon on the Mount (the Beatitudes) we see that the kind of happiness (blessedness) offered by Jesus stands in contrast to the momentary pleasures of the world.

The draw of the broad path is strong; it offers us the appearance of freedom, unlimited autonomy and little concern for consequences. However, the call to follow Christ is the call to walk the narrow path of discipleship. Whilst this path is not always the easiest it is nonetheless the path to life and true flourishing.

As the magi were drawn to worship the Christ Child, we too are called to a life offered as a living sacrifice.

As we come to the turn of the year it's a perfect time to reflect upon what God is calling us into in 2025.

When we take Jesus out of Christmas, we might have a fun time, but we lose so much of the beauty and joy available to us. Placing the manger at the centre of our Christmas celebrations enriches the time we spend with our loved ones.

Christmas can often seem to busy and complex, but at its heart is a single, simple truth - God came to be with us. This has the power to radically change our lives. It moves us from a state of simply knowing about God to knowing Him personally and relationally.

At Christmas, God reminds us how He breaks into the darkness of our world. At the heart of the Christmas message is the fact that Jesus is Emmanuel - God with us - and it is through being with each other in both the light and darkness of life, that we show God's love to others.

The way of the Kingdom is the way of humility. As we round off our advent sermons we return to the theme of what true greatness in the eyes of God looks like. From John the Baptist through to Mary we see God continually champions those the world sees as of little worth.

Within the business of Christmas, John the Baptist shows us the right way to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. God is interested in not just what we do, but in growing and healing us as whole people.

In a world which places value in power, wealth and fame, John the Baptist shows us what true greatness in the Kingdom of God looks like.

Like Nicodemus, many of us look at Jesus with a degree of confusion and uncertainty. Christmas is an invitation to allow His light to shine afresh into the darkness of our lives.

As we reach the end of our series looking at biblical visions we hear of John of Patmos' vision of God's recreation of everything.