![TMCP 3: Being a Missional Christian In An Urban Environment? [Matt Hallam]](/content/images/size/w1200/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/MH.jpg)
Helpful Resources: Tim Keller, Ray Bakke at urbanministry.org, Bob Lupton, Amy Sherman’s book Kingdom Calling
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The gift we need most this Christmas is not something that can be bought, wrapped, or put under a tree. More than any of the material things we may want, it is the gift of grace found in Christ that we all desperately need.
Contrary to what culture tells us, joy is not an emotion reserved for exciting days or momentous events. In a world that seems steeped in despair, choosing to rejoice is spiritual warfare that shapes our perspective and opens our eyes to the gifts we already have.
As much as we'd wish otherwise, we can't avoid sorrow here on this earth. But for the Christian, real joy isn't tied to the absence of sorrow; it is found in the person and presence of Christ.
Being excluded and finding ourselves on the outside can leave us feeling uncomfortable at best, and deeply wounded or broken at worst. What a relief to discover that Jesus came for the ordinary, weak, and tired, bringing joy to every one of us.