“I'll have a blue Christmas without you. I'll be so blue thinking about you. Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree Won't mean a thing, if you're not here with me . . . You'll be doing alright with your Christmas of white, but I'll have a blue Christmas without you. But I'll have a blue Christmas without you.”    - 1948 Billy Hays and Jay Johnson

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  Luke 2:4-5 

The Christmas Crunch:

• Relational stress 
• Physical stress
• Emotional stress 
• Financial stress

I.  Jesus came to make right the things that are wrong this Christmas.

²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:  ²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace.  ³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation, ³¹ which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: ³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”  Luke 2:28-32 

¹⁸"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."  Luke 4:18-19 (Is. 42:1)

II. Because of Christmas, we can exchange our sorrow for joy.

So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.  John 16:22

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. II Corinthians 4:16-18

¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  Hebrews 4:14