We have heard the story of the shepherds and the angels, and the child laid in a manger, lots of times before. It may be so familiar to our ears that we can miss the radical idea of a God who becomes vulnerable, which is at the core of the Christmas story. But in the week that follows Christmas, the church also traditionally recalls several stories that remind us that the world into which the Christ was born is a world full of violence and terror, hatred, and pain, as well. And that turns out to be GOOD NEWS, too, becuase it means God doesn't merely "drop in" when the decorations are all perfect and there is a fresh blanket of sparkling snow on the ground, but has really come "all the way down" into this world where there is suffering and sorrow. Any made-up deity can visit an ideal and safe world--it takes the real deal to be willing to be vulnerable enough to become a refugee seeking asylum in Egypt, or to be present as a lynch-mob stones a follower of Jesus to death in the book of Acts. These stories give us a deeper appreciation of the Incarnation of God, which is good news as we turn to a new calendar year. Join pastors Erica, Sarah, and Steve for this New Year's week episode of "Crazy Faith Talk"!
