Do you feel unseen? (Gospel Christmas 2 - Pastor Jared)

In our increasingly isolated world, one of our deepest needs is to be truly seen and known. While technology has made life more convenient, it has also optimized human connection out of our daily experiences. We work from home more, have shorter conversations, and spend more time looking at screens than faces. This has created an epidemic of loneliness that intensifies during the holiday season. Being seen goes far beyond being noticed or tolerated. It means being experienced, appreciated, and valued for who you truly are. Real friendship begins when someone shares something about themselves and another person responds with genuine understanding - "same here." Over time, these connections deepen until explanations become unnecessary because the other person simply "gets it."
Hebrews 4:15 reveals that "we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin." Whatever temptation you're wrestling with - even the ones you're too embarrassed to share with anyone - Jesus completely understands. He's felt the pull of every human struggle without giving in to sin. And Jesus didn't just understand our condition - He did something about it. When He saw us broken by sin and separated from God, He didn't use His divine resources from a distance. Instead, He spread out His arms on a cross and gave His own blood to lift us up and make us whole.