Luke 2:1 ¶ And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And…
The First Christmas Celebration Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift. II Corinthians 9:15 Scrooge sternly said to His nephew: You keep Christmas your way, and let me keep it in mine. His nephew responded, But you don’t keep it! To Scrooge, Christmas was only a time for paying bills without money; a time…
Whatever else we would say about Luke’s story of the angels and the shepherds, it’s very memorable. But less clear is the point. Why did it happen? What does it mean? I’m going to argue that there’s something huge going on here. I’m going to argue that this event was a teaser — a short…
Matthew famously begins his Gospel with a stylized genealogy. Placing a genealogy upfront like that bespoke a narrative rooted in the Jewish heritage. Starting your book off with a genealogy hardly seems to us to be a great attention-grabber, but Matthew’s Gospel certainly didn’t suffer because of it (by all accounts Matthew was the most…
For many believers right now, it feels like we are just trying to survive. In the face of multiple crises—health, economic, social, and spiritual, just living day to day seems to be a challenge. How is it that we can make a difference for the Kingdom when it takes all our energy just to put…
As I entered the hair shop where my wife and I have gone for almost 20 years, two ladies were engaged in a gleeful “1,000 words-a-minute” conversation! With my loud voice, I interrupted this exchange and said, “Ladies! Take a breath!!” The room was filled with laughter, and I have since gained a friend in…
One day, out of nowhere, well-dressed men wearing expensive suits and dark sunglasses get out of Mercedes limos in a massive motorcade. They walk up to you asking, “where is he? Show us where he is.” This, recast in 2017 garb is the story of the Magi. We think we know what it’s all about.…
As one comes to Luke’s second chapter, we hear of the census, but only because it furnishes the reason for Joseph and his family to go south to Bethlehem, the town of David’s birth (Lk 2:4-5), while also giving the location for the extraordinary vision of the shepherds in Luke 2:8-20. That event is also…
Today my mother is 98 years old. I wrote about her a couple of years ago in “Teach Us to Number Our Days.” In that post, I described my mother’s shrinking world with memory loss and limited mobility, urging us all to use our days wisely in the Lord’s service. In today’s post, I want…
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2) Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever…