Heaven Came down

Pastor Dave began by pointing us to what he called the greatest love story of all time. And right away, he acknowledged that this story might not look like the love stories we usually celebrate.

It’s not Romeo and Juliet, where everything ends in tragedy.
It’s not Noah and Allie from The Notebook.
It’s not Jack and Rose from Titanic—a story remembered more for heartbreak than hope, especially given that there was room on the door for Jack too.

Those stories all end with loss and tragedy.

The greatest love story of all time doesn’t begin with “Once upon a time.” It begins with “For God so loved the world.” And yes, Pastor Dave acknowledged, the main character in that story dies too—but that’s not the ending. Three days later, the tomb is empty. Jesus rises from the dead, history is changed, and love conquers death itself.

Christmas, Pastor Dave reminded us, is the moment Heaven came down. It’s a love story about Jesus and us. About God stepping into the world not at its best, but at its most broken, to offer redemption, freedom, and a fresh start.

Pastor Dave read John 3:16–17 and slowed us down enough to really hear it. For God so loved the world. Not a type of people. Not the deserving. Not the cleaned-up. The world. And He didn’t send His Son to condemn the world, but to save it. This is the heart of Christmas—and it’s personal.

To help us feel just how personal that love is, Pastor Dave talked about the apostle John himself. Before following Jesus, John wasn’t calm or gentle. He and his brother were known for their tempers—so much so that Jesus nicknamed them the “Sons of Thunder.” At one point, John even asked Jesus if they should call fire down from heaven to destroy a town that rejected them.

And yet Jesus loved John.

That love didn’t just forgive him—it changed him. John’s identity shifted so deeply that in his own Gospel, he refers to himself not by name, but as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Five different times. That’s who he became.

And that’s what Christmas declares: Jesus loves broken people. Not after they’re fixed—but right where they are.

Pastor Dave walked us through other moments where that love shows up. Jesus loved a woman who had spent her life looking for meaning and acceptance in relationships that kept leaving her empty. He met her in her shame and offered living water—something that would finally satisfy. Jesus loved Peter, who bragged about his loyalty and then denied knowing Jesus when it mattered most. After the resurrection, Jesus didn’t discard him—He restored him. Jesus loved a woman caught in adultery, surrounded by religious leaders ready to condemn her. Jesus stepped between her and her accusers and said, “I don’t condemn you.”

And then Pastor Dave shared his own story. A younger version of himself—driven by insecurity, chasing approval, measuring worth by success, treating faith like something transactional. In college, he reached a breaking point and prayed a simple, honest prayer: “If Your love is real, I need it.” And he experienced forgiveness he didn’t deserve and a love that changed how he saw himself and how he saw God.

That’s why Pastor Dave kept returning to this truth: Jesus loves you. Not a future version of you. Not a cleaned-up version of you. You—right now, as you are.

Christmas is the greatest love story of all time because it doesn’t end in a manger or even at a cross. It keeps going. And one day, Jesus will return—not as a baby, but as a King. The Christ candle sits at the center of the Advent wreath because Jesus is the center of everything—our hope, our peace, our joy, and our love.

And Pastor Dave gently pushed back on a familiar phrase: “Jesus is the reason for the season.” Yes—He is. But there’s another reason too.

You.

Heaven came down for you.
The manger is for you.
The cross is for you.

For God so loved you that He gave His one and only Son.

So if you came into this Christmas feeling unworthy, ashamed, distant from God, unseen, or unsure what you believe—this night was for you. Christmas is not about proving anything or fixing yourself. It’s about receiving a love you didn’t earn and can’t lose.

Pastor Dave closed by inviting us to take a step toward that love. Because when we do, we step toward hope, peace, and joy. And that love doesn’t stop with us—it moves through us, into our community, and into the lives of others who need to hear that they are loved too.

Because maybe—just maybe—that’s the greatest gift any of us can receive this Christmas.