We begin the series by fleshing out what it might have been like to live in the days when Jesus was born—a time not all that different from our own. As an elderly priest, Zechariah had witnessed the fall of Judean independence and the beginning of Roman occupation. He longed for the coming Messiah, and he longed for a son. The author of Lamentations cries out in personal pain while his homeland is under Babylonian rule. Our global and personal heartache are intertwined, and the wait for promised rescue is hard to bear. Whether in exile, under the rule of a puppet king, or in the depths of personal pain, we long for God to break through the fear and bring us hope.

Luke 1:5-13; Lamentations 3:55-57

John the Baptist sends word to Jesus from his prison cell, asking, “Are you the one?” John has spent his entire life preparing the way for Jesus, but from his prison cell, now certainly facing death, the future looks grim. Like John, even the most confident of us wonder from time to time: Is all this work worth it? Does anything I do matter? We can’t always see the fruits of our labor, yet God is at work anyway. How might we, like Jesus and Isaiah, point to the places where God is at work in our world? How might we keep hope alive?

Matthew 11:1-11; Isaiah 43:19-21

Sometimes saying “yes” to God’s call fills us with fear. We fear, just like Mary and Jeremiah, that we aren’t enough. That we’ll be alone. That no one will listen. And yet, God calls us forward, inviting us to live fully into who we are created to be and promising to be with us as we move forward through our fear, every step of the way. Too often we talk about bravery and courage in terms of hero narratives or big actions, but every day presents many moments to practice small, quiet acts of courage. May we say “yes” to God, even when our knees shake and our voices tremble.

Luke 1:26-38; Jeremiah 1:4-10

What if fear can result in connection instead of isolation? Joseph sets aside his fear of rejection and shame in order to stand in solidarity with Mary, shielding her from harm. Their bond makes them each stronger. We don’t live out our callings in isolation—our communal flourishing depends on each person stepping into their calling despite their fear. How can we offer support to one another? And can we use our power and privilege, like Joseph, to stand in solidarity with people whose lives are at risk?

Matthew 1:18-25; Isaiah 41:5-10

The Christmas season can be filled with saccharine images of Mary, meek and mild, with a quiet, sleepy Jesus in her arms. But the host of angels shouts to the skies, “Glory to God in the highest!” What would it look like for us to proclaim the good news loudly, with overflowing joy? In a world that weaponizes fear, where algorithms decide what gets weight and what takes up space, let us be disruptive with our joy. Let us be loud and unruly, amplifying the good news. In a world where good news never feels loud enough to drown out fear, let us shout with the angels, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace!”

Luke 2:1-20

The holy family fears for their safety and for their child’s life, like so many refugees around the world. Their valid fears motivate them to move—and so they seek refuge in Egypt until it is safe for them to return home. Instead of trying to push fear away, what if we used it as fuel? What if we harnessed that incredible source of energy for good, fighting for a world where no one fears for their safety? Utilizing our fear wisely not only helps others; taking concrete action also interrupts the fear that so easily paralyzes us.

Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

As we end the series, Herod is still in power. Christ is born, but it feels as if the world has not changed. The temptation to give up is strong, especially in the face of violence. But the magi don’t let Herod’s fear-driven demands stop them from honoring the newborn Christ or returning home by a different way. They model for us what it looks like to be led by hope, moving through fear without letting it paralyze you. As this series ends and a new year begins, we proclaim: our journey continues, and fear won’t have the last word.

Matthew 2:1-12, 16-18