Using the Christmas story through the lens of John 1:12, this sermon explores the question of identity and where we truly belong. Just as Buddy the Elf discovers he was made for more than the life he was living, we are reminded that our deepest identity is not found in success, relationships, or approval, but in becoming children of God through faith in Jesus. John’s Gospel shows that Jesus, the eternal Word who entered a dark world as light, gives us the right to be part of God’s family when we receive Him. This identity brings lasting security—we are chosen, redeemed, filled with the Holy Spirit, and invited into a close, personal relationship with God as our Father. No matter what the season of life brings, our identity as God’s children never changes, and He walks with us every step of the journey.