“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." —Ephesians 3:20 (NLT) The word advent means coming or arrival. When referring to Jesus' arrival, however, advent takes on a special meaning, representing... read more →
Dec
18
Dec
17
“When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under..." —Matthew 2:16 King Herod ruled over Judea with Roman approval for more than 30 years. Never... read more →
Dec
16
“Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey." —Zechariah 9:9 (NASB1995) When Jesus was born, it’s likely that there were animals nearby, even in the very same... read more →
Dec
15
“And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn." —Luke 2:7 How might cultural insights impact our experience of the Christmas story? Middle East scholar Kenneth... read more →
Dec
14
“While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child." —Luke 2:6 We tend to imagine Mary and Joseph all alone, huddled in a stable welcoming Jesus into the world. Yet, as with much of the tradition, the reality might have been quite different. For... read more →
Dec
13
“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.’" —Luke 2:1 Mary and Joseph were quite likely in good company on the road from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Many of these unknown-to-us fellow travelers were probably also on their way to... read more →
Dec
12
“An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.’" —Matthew 1:1 If someone were to ask you to tell the story of Jesus, where would you start? The New Testament begins, “the story of the origin of Jesus Christ” (Matthew... read more →
Dec
11
“Praise the Lord from the earth...wild animals and all livestock...kings of the earth and all people...Let them praise the name of the Lord.’" —Psalm 148: 7-13 (NLT) In 1970, Robertson Davies popularized the term “Fifth Business” in his novel by the same name. He describes Fifth Business in... read more →
Dec
10
“...About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 'Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.’" —Matthew 2:1-2 (NLT) The “wise men from eastern lands” referred to in Matthew's Gospel... read more →
Dec
09
“...But Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often." —Luke 2:19 (NLT) Mary had so much to ponder on that holy night in Bethlehem: angelic visitations, an unexpected pregnancy and a new husband, not to mention the joy, pain and exhaustion of the... read more →