Jesus Removes Our Shame and He's Not Afraid of You Either

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siW6ODjSuzM

One of the things that struck me most this Christmas Eve was how much time we spend worrying about things that Jesus isn’t worried about at all. I told the story about the time I showed up to church with half a haircut because my clippers died mid-buzz. I was embarrassed. I was self-conscious. I was convinced everyone was staring at me. And the truth is, almost nobody cared. I was more concerned about what I looked like than anyone else in the room. And even in that moment, God met me. He didn’t wait for me to look put together. He didn’t wait for me to feel confident. He met me right there, hat in hand, heart wide open.

That story may sound simple, but it reveals something deep about how we often relate to God. We assume He is focused on the same things we are. We assume He is analyzing our appearance, our failures, our struggles, and our weaknesses. We assume He is standing at a distance waiting for us to get it together. But Scripture shows us something very different. Jesus does not see us the way shame sees us. He does not see us the way insecurity sees us. He sees us through love.

When Luke tells the Christmas story, he makes something very clear. Jesus entered this world in vulnerability. He was born in a manger. He was wrapped in cloth. He had no platform, no reputation, no protection. God could have chosen any way to enter humanity. He chose the most exposed way possible. He chose dependence. He chose weakness. He chose nearness. He chose to come close.

Luke 2:7 says, “She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” That is not accidental. That is intentional. God was showing us from the beginning that He is not afraid of our humanity. He is not afraid of our mess. He is not afraid of our weakness. He stepped directly into it.

John 1:14 tells us, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Jesus didn’t just visit humanity. He moved in. He didn’t stand at a safe distance. He put skin on. He entered our story. Hebrews 1:3 says He is the exact representation of the Father. That means when you look at Jesus, you see what God is really like. And what do we see? A God who comes close. A God who chooses vulnerability. A God who is not repelled by brokenness.

One of the most powerful truths of Christmas is that Jesus was born unashamed. Babies do not hide. Babies do not perform. Babies do not pretend. They simply exist. They are known. They are seen. They are loved. Jesus entered the world that way on purpose. He was showing us what life with God is supposed to look like. Honest. Open. Unhidden. Real.

Shame tells us we need to cover ourselves before we come to God. Jesus shows us that He comes to us first, uncovered. Shame tells us we need to clean ourselves up before we approach Him. Jesus shows us that He approaches us while we are still learning how to walk. Shame says, “Fix this first.” Jesus says, “Come now.”

Romans 8:1 tells us, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” That is not poetic language. That is a spiritual reality. Jesus did not just forgive our sins. He carried our shame. Isaiah 53:4 says, “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering.” That includes the weight we carry from our past. That includes the identity we built around failure. That includes the internal voice that tells us we are never enough.

When Jesus went to the cross, He stepped in front of everything that would ever accuse you. He absorbed it. He dismantled it. He disarmed it. Colossians 2:14 says He canceled the record of debt that stood against us. That means there is nothing left to prove. Nothing left to earn. Nothing left to hide. Jesus removes our shame!

Being born again is not just about praying a prayer. It is about returning to this posture of trust and openness before God. Jesus said in John 3:3, “No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” That new birth brings us back to spiritual innocence. It brings us back to honesty. It brings us back to dependence. It brings us back to relationship.

A baby never wonders if it belongs. A baby never wonders if it is welcome. A baby never wonders if it has earned love. It lives inside love. That is what Jesus restores.

One of the most important realizations from this message is this: Jesus came to give Himself a gift. And that gift is you.

He did not come because we were impressive. He did not come because we were qualified. He did not come because we were successful. He came because He wanted relationship. Revelation 3:20 says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.” He is not knocking because He needs something from you. He is knocking because He wants you.

Think about that. The Creator of the universe pursued you. Paid for you. Redeemed you. Restored you. Not so you could become religious. So you could become close.

Jesus purchased you with His own blood so that He could walk with you. So that He could know you. So that you could know Him. Ephesians 1:5 says He predestined us for adoption. That means relationship was always the goal. Not performance. Not behavior management. Not religious activity. Family.

Matthew 11:30 says, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Shame is heavy. Guilt is heavy. Self-condemnation is heavy. Trying to be good enough is heavy. Carrying your past is heavy. Jesus never intended you to live weighed down. He invites you to exchange burdens. He carries what crushes you. You carry what gives life.

Sometimes we think righteousness will feel restrictive. In reality, shame is the heavy thing. Freedom is light. Grace is light. Forgiveness is light. Walking with Jesus is light.

When we walk with Him, His presence does something in us. It reveals what does not belong. It heals what is broken. It strengthens what is weak. Not through pressure. Through love.

1 John 1:7 says, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus… purifies us from all sin.” Notice the order. We walk with Him first. Purification follows. Relationship comes before transformation. Presence comes before change.

Jesus is not running from you. He never has. Hebrews 13:5 says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” If you feel distant from God, it is not because He moved. He is still standing in the same place, arms open, heart steady, invitation constant.

This is what Christmas announces to the world. God with us. Emmanuel. Not God watching us. Not God tolerating us. God with us.

Isaiah 7:14 declares, “They will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).” That is not a theological idea. That is a relational promise. God chose proximity. God chose intimacy. God chose nearness.

Jesus was not afraid of your humanity. He put it on. He was not afraid of your sin. He carried it. He was not afraid of your weakness. He entered it. He was not afraid of your story. He redeemed it.

And now, He invites you to live unashamed.

Not careless. Not passive. Not indifferent. But secure. Rooted. Confident in love.

You do not have to perform your way into His presence. You do not have to earn His attention. You do not have to hide your flaws. You do not have to pretend.

You are already bought. Already chosen. Already welcomed.

The gift Jesus gave Himself was you.

And the gift He asks from you is simple.

Your heart.

Your trust.

Your openness.

Your “yes.”

So this Christmas, we lay down shame. We drop guilt. We release fear. We release self-rejection. We stop carrying what He already carried.

We receive righteousness.

We receive closeness.

We receive peace.

We receive belonging.

And we walk with Him—unafraid, uncovered, and fully loved.

Serving Davenport, Bettendorf, Rock Island, Moline, and the greater Quad Cities area, Riverside Church is a spiritual family pursuing Jesus together.

Browse our full teaching library at onechurchqc.org/teachings, learn about our heart at onechurchqc.org/vision, or visit onechurchqc.org for service times and directions.

If you’re looking for a local church where you can grow, belong, and serve, we would love to welcome you this weekend.