Who does the Christmas present wrapping in your family?

I can assure you that in my house, it's not me.  The invention of the gift bag is one of the most encouraging developments of my adulthood, because it meant that I could stop trying to figure out how to wrap presents neatly.  Doesn't matter if it's a normal cube shaped box or some strangely shaped toy: my wrapping skills have never measured up to my wife's or my parent's. 

It's because of my messy gift-wrapping skills that I can tell you with confidence that the power of a gift has nothing to do with how it's wrapped. Christmas is our opportunity to celebrate the most life-altering, powerful gift in history, and this gift was wrapped in what Scripture calls "swaddling cloths."  God with Us, Immanuel, makes his first appearance wrapped not only in these cloths, but also in flesh.  The gifts He came to bring us are far more valuable and important than anything you or I have ever wrapped.  Our Advent series, A Messy Christmas, continues this week with a careful examination of the gifts that Jesus brings to our mess.  John 1:1-18 contains some powerful images of the impact that Jesus has on our mess.  Join us for this encouraging discussion.