Episode Summary: "GOD WITH US"

Don't Miss This Study
Hosts: Dave Butler & Grace Freeman
Release Date: December 15, 2025

Overview

This special Christmas episode centers on the idea of "God with Us," exploring the profound meaning of the Christmas story and how the presence of Jesus can be felt in our personal lives—especially during times of trial or joy. Dave and Grace invite listeners to reflect on their own experiences with Jesus throughout the past year and share a meaningful family tradition that highlights different aspects of Christ’s identity.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Message of Christmas: God Comes Into Our Mess

• Christmas as God entering the world:
  Dave emphasizes that Christmas is about Jesus coming "into the mess of our world and into the imperfect of our world," referencing the difficult circumstances of Jesus's birth as his "first sermon."

  “He came into our lives. He came into our world and into the mess of our world and into the imperfect of our world. I mean, the circumstances that Jesus chose to be born in are his first sermon, the people he decided to come to, and the situation he decided to come to was his first sermon.” (Dave, 01:10)

• Everyone is invited:
  The second sermon of the Nativity is inclusivity—everyone, from the doubtful (Joseph), to the misunderstood (Mary), to outcasts (shepherds), and the privileged (kings), is invited into the story.

  “That sermon of Christmas is everybody was invited. Everybody was invited into the story and maybe more rather that first sermon which Jesus came into all of their stories.” (Dave, 02:41)

• Jesus' approachability as a baby:
  Dave reflects on the significance of Jesus arriving as a baby—approachable, without expectations, and symbolizing a relationship that can grow gradually.

  “I love that Jesus comes as a baby because babies are so approachable...and if someone is trying to think about their relationship with Christ, it can start as a baby and you can grow into it and you can approach him just softly and gently like you would a baby.” (Dave, 03:31)

2. A Family Tradition: Naming How Jesus Showed Up

• The Candle Tradition:
  Grace shares a beloved family tradition where each person lights a candle and shares the name or title of Jesus that represented His presence in their life that year.

  “Everyone would go around and say the name of Jesus that showed up in their life that year and why...it was like, honestly, like a little bit of like our family's yearly testimony meeting.” (Grace, 05:37)

• Purpose of the tradition:
  The tradition serves to remind all that Christmas’s message—God is with us—applies not just on Christmas day, but every day throughout the year.

  “That story and that theme that God is with us is not one moment in the year. It is every day. It's the year building on each other. It's Jesus showing up every single day in our story.” (Grace, 06:35)

3. Scripture Study: God With Us (Immanuel)

• Scripture reflection:
  The hosts read from Matthew 1:23, where Jesus is called “Immanuel,” meaning “God with us.” Dave suggests using this verse as a launching point for family or individual Christmas reflections, focusing on how God has been present in one’s life over the past year.

  "You might wanna start with this great Christmas verse, which is in Matthew chapter 1...And they shall call his name Immanuel...which is interpreted...God with us." (Dave, 07:11)

• Practical ideas:

  • Use resources like the Living Christ or an advent calendar to pick names of Christ for reflection.
  • Encourage each person to identify how Christ has entered their specific “messy manger situation.”

4. Personal Reflections: The Names of Jesus This Year

Grace's Name: “High Priest of Good Things to Come” (Hebrews 9:11)

(08:51)

• Grace recounts a difficult year filled with family trials, especially her father's illness, but testifies that Jesus "brings good things," even after hardship.
• She shares a moving moment on a humanitarian trip, recognizing blessings she couldn’t have imagined a year earlier.

  “I truly feel like this year, starting on day one of 2025, was Jesus saying, like, don't worry. I am the high priest of good things to come. Good things will come this year.” (Grace, 09:53)

Dave's Name: “Compassionate One” (Matthew 9:36)

(11:05)

• Dave draws on Matthew 9 and the image of Jesus being "moved with compassion" for those who are "fainted" (harassed, scattered).

• He explains the scriptural and linguistic roots of “compassion,” noting its deep, nurturing (womb-love) connotations.

  “I love that this verse teaches us that when he saw all of those situations, he was moved with compassion. And compassion is that word that's just on a soul deep level. …The way a mother looks at a newborn baby is the imagery of that word.” (Dave, 12:06)

• Even when circumstances don't improve immediately, Dave finds peace knowing Jesus’s first response is always compassion.

Memorable Quotes

• On the inclusive call of Christ:

  “That sermon of Christmas is everybody was invited. Everybody was invited into the story...Jesus came into all of their stories.” (Dave, 02:41)

• On the presence of Jesus in hard times:

  “It's a singular word: unto you in your particular situation, in your particular story is born a savior, a healer, a compassionate one, a high priest of good things to come, an advocate, a teacher, a gift, whatever it is the word that you choose.” (Dave, 13:53)

• On the tradition's impact:

  “Some of my favorite Christmas memories...are sitting in a circle with my family...holding our little candles and watching the wax melt off and all of us listening to each other preach about our year and say who Jesus had been for us that year.” (Grace, 05:53)

Important Timestamps

• [01:10] – The real message of Christmas: God comes into our world
• [02:41] – The "sermons" of Christmas: everyone is included
• [05:37] – The family candle tradition and its meaning
• [06:35] – Why the message of “God with us” is for every day
• [07:11] – Scripture discussion: Immanuel (“God with us”)
• [08:51] – Grace's personal reflection: "High priest of good things to come"
• [11:05] – Dave's personal reflection: "Compassionate one"
• [13:53] – The personal nature of Christ's titles for each of us

Final Thoughts

Dave and Grace close by encouraging listeners to create their own meaningful Christmas reflection—whether alone or with others—by stepping back into "the simplicity of the story of Jesus." The Christmas message, they emphasize, is about remembering and recognizing how God has been with us, in our unique stories and circumstances.

“…step back into the manger for a minute…just focus on that little approachable baby who is God with us.” (Dave, 14:35)

Resources Mentioned

• Luke 2 (The Christmas Story)
• Matthew 1:23 (Immanuel, “God with us”)
• Hebrews 9:11 (“High priest of good things to come”)
• Matthew 9:36 (Jesus moved with compassion)
• The Living Christ document (25 names of Christ)
• Christmas Devotional tradition (using candles or names of Jesus)

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