Politicians, business moguls, decision makers of all kinds seem to be living lives that are completely different from our own. The gap between the rich and the poor just grows and grows.

Try and contact someone in authority these days and so often you find them hiding behind their "minions" and being "unavailable" to talk to you.

Many only seem to be interested in people who are on their own level of power or payscale. Certainly an awful lot do not seem to have a clue what it is to live a life with limited means and without the privilege of power.

No wonder so many of us are disenchanted with politics and frustrated when trying to communicate with decision makers, because they are worlds apart.

Some people think God is a bit like this, that he is remote and not interested in them, that he doesn't know what it is to have to face the issues that we deal with.

Homer Simpson once said "I'm not normally a religious man, but if you're up there, save me, Superman!" which is interestingly some people's perception of what Jesus was like.

Through the narrative of Christmas, we can see just how mistaken is this view. The wonder of the nativity is about God becoming human, mortal, vulnerable as any other human baby, living our life, sharing our experiences, knowing our joys and experiencing our sorrows.

Yes, not only did God leave the safety of heaven to become human but Jesus was born in a humble working family. He lived on as he had started with no real material wealth or property to call his own.

Jesus knew full well the effects of poverty and powerlessness in human terms and sided in his own life with the vulnerable and disadvantaged.
Is that it then? Is Christmas just about Jesus sharing our experiences and knowing our pain?

For this alone the incarnation would have been an amazing feat in itself, but the Christmas story has much more to offer.

John wrote in the famous passage repeated in carol services "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (John 1:12,13 ).

St. Athanasius encapsulated this in the 4th century saying "He became what we are that he might make us what he is." The words of "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" echo this "born to raise the sons of earth, born to bring them second birth".

The Christmas story also speaks of the Joy of God's invitation to ordinary people to be born anew of his spirit, for mere mortals to receive the very power and presence of God in their lives.

Believers in Buxton would like to invite you to share in the wonder and joy of Christmas, you will find a warm welcome in your local churches.

Take the opportunity to discover the wonder that God became flesh and experience the joy that through him we may be born of his Holy Spirit.