by Pastor James Harleman

Ever find that present or stocking stuffer after the holidays are over and the decorations have all come down? Maybe you shouldn’t have left it in the coat closet behind the umbrellas. Sometimes it’s awkward to give that person their belated gift… (particularly if it was their ONLY gift) but other times it can be a fun surprise in a season when it’s unexpected.

Our audio editors got overloaded with content, but have finally caught up, enabling us to bring out our belated Christmas Eve service for a listen. Clocking in at just over ten minutes, it may be one of the shortest sermons in Mars Hill history. It also wound up being totally different than what I planned to preach.

Christmas Eve services can often be fluffy, filled with the nativity narrative and perhaps a story about a puppy. In a year that saw Christmas-themed movies like the throat-slitting Sweeney Todd and Aliens and Predators butchering teenagers on Christmas day, the themes of blood and pain swirled around us; as I prayed about the text, content and commentary God was calling me to, I got thoroughly convicted to deal with the darker aspects of Jesus’ birth and the resonance that spans all of human history.

I recommend reading Luke chapter two before listening to the sermon. Since it’s only ten minutes, you’ve got extra time to read your Bible. That’s never a bad thing.

Blood and Pain
Preached on Christmas Eve by Pastor James Harleman

Listen right here by clicking the play button above.

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