Christmas 2015

The Light of Hope

The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. (John 1:5, NIV) She hurled her words from her square olive-skin face, framed in a straight, no-nonsense haircut, her large black eyes piercing each listener. A former Marxist activist, she had been a hater of Christian America, well schooled in socialistic literature, …

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I Am

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58, NIV) A bush burned and God revealed His name to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM’ has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). Centuries later a baby penetrated …

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God with Us

…our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:1, NASB) The one name or title of Jesus that eclipses all others is the transcendent monosyllable—GOD. Jesus is God. This is the crux of Christmas and Christianity. Undiminished deity was joined forever with unfallen humanity. As someone has profoundly said, “He who made man was made …

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A Secret Name

…He has a name written that no one knows except himself. (Revelation 19:12, NET) We pondered, thought, scratched our heads, and pondered some more. My wife and I deliberated long and hard about what we would name our newly adopted children. As Ethiopian children adopted into an American family, these kids needed names that would …

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Out of Egypt

You do well if you pay attention to this as you would to a light shining in a murky place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19, NET) Papa, are we there yet?” It had been a long, cold trip. The boy’s brother and sister were asleep …

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Light of the World

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29–32, NIV) The day after Christmas, 2001, upon news …

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Yes, Lord

And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.”  (Luke 1:38, NASB) Nine months before our Savior’s birth, an angel appeared to a young Jewish girl, Mary, whom Scripture describes as a virgin, engaged to a man named Joseph. Prior to that angelic visit, Mary …

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Messiah

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16, NIV) The babe in Bethlehem, whom we celebrate at Christmas, is “Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David and … his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:32–33). “Messiah” (Hebrew) in …

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The Way

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6, NASB) The Bible as a whole is a set of directives pointing the way to God—and, in a sense, the way back to the Garden of Eden where our first …

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Fatherly

…And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6, NASB) Unrecognized. Unseen. Undiscovered. Nobody knows. Nobody sees. Nobody cares. As long as there is plenty of food, lots of cheer, a plethora of tinsel, and a cornucopia of gifts, everyone’s happy. Jesus? Who’s that? I wonder sometimes …

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The Lamb: Slain from before the Creation of the World

…you were redeemed … with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world… (1 Peter 1:18–20, NIV) Christmas begins within the triune God—the Father’s planning, the Son’s choosing, the Spirit’s moving—before creation began. The Incarnation and sacrifice of the Savior is the final …

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