Worldwide Christmas January 3, 2026 Devotional

JOHN 1:10-13 | ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. ¹² But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

The most common misunderstandings of Jesus today paint Him as either the Father of intolerance, whose followers have a superiority complex, or as a wise teacher from long ago that may have a useful tidbit of advice some of us may choose to use in our personal lives. The world has forgotten that Jesus invented diversity, summoning a community of different classes, cultures, colors, and continents. But this was a community whose unique and unprecedented tolerance and diversity was founded on an exclusive allegiance to a single living Lord. Jesus didn't teach general moral truths—He pointed to Himself as the ultimate answer to the universal human problems of sin, guilt, evil, and death. An authentic church must reflect the diversity of the Kingdom and stay focused on the King.

How well does VPC counter these two misunderstandings?

Do we display the wide calling and exclusive allegiance we need to show?

Gracious God,

May our focus on You be the cement in our community.

Amen.