Uncomfortably Close // Pastor Tony Shackleford // 12.21.25

At Christmas, we celebrate that God came near—but what happens when His nearness feels uncomfortable? In this message from John 1, we explore Emmanuel—God with us—not as a distant idea, but as a present reality that exposes, challenges, and transforms. Jesus didn’t just visit humanity; He moved in, and His presence demands more than admiration—it demands surrender. While we love Jesus as Savior from afar, His closeness confronts who’s really in control. The question this message leaves us with is simple but searching: Is Jesus merely welcomed into your life, or is He ruling it?