The Way in the Manger
What if hope is closer than you think?
The Gospel of John doesn’t give us the traditional Christmas story with shepherds or a stable or the little town of Bethlehem. Instead, he focuses on the deeper meaning behind the manger.
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“Way in a Manger” Series
Episode 1
John doesn’t open his gospel with a baby in a barn. It begins “In the beginning…” to take us back to Genesis 1, where God spoke the world into existence. That same Word, John says, became flesh in Jesus. Christmas is not just God showing up. Instead, it is God beginning the work of recreating the world and making all things new. In Jesus, the Creator doesn’t stay outside of our mess. He entered our mess, bore our sins, and created newness of life. That’s what we celebrate at Christmas.
December 7th, 2025
Episode 2
Life always has a center, but not everything we choose can hold us. Jesus is the Light that brings life to the darkness, order to the chaos, and purpose to the empty places of our hearts. Just as light began creation, His presence begins a new creation in us. While our focus drifts to lesser things, the true Light never fails. He restores, realigns, and invites us to shine His life into a world that still needs hope.
December 14th, 2025
Episode 3
Christmas can make people feel excluded, unwanted, or disqualified by religion. If God feels distant this season, you’re not alone. The truth is, Christmas can make people feel excluded by religion or disqualified by past mistakes. But Jesus isn’t a bouncer at the door to life. He is the door. He came to let people in, not keep them out. In a world full of spiritual gatekeepers, Jesus shocks us by saying, “I am the door.” He doesn’t block the way. He opens it. This is the God who invites shepherds, outcasts, and seekers in. The manger signals that access to God isn’t earned. It’s offered. In Him we find safety, belonging, and abundance. We don’t have to climb in. He lets us in. Christmas is an open door to grace.
December 21st, 2025
Episode 4
Jesus has just finished washing His disciples’ feet, predicting Judas’s betrayal, and telling Peter that he will deny him. Emotions are tense. The disciples are confused, anxious, and afraid, unsure of what’s next. So Jesus offers them comfort. and He says, “I am the way…” In other words, “You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to trust me.” This is the culminating moment in the gospel of John. The claim is that what began in the manger will lead you all the way home. So will you trust him?