Jesus’ Genealogy and You
“This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1, NIV) Prior to telling us about Jesus’ birth, Matthew gives us an extensive list of names, which seems like a strange way to start. Could you not produce a more exciting introduction, Matthew? However, upon closer look, […]
Who Was Mary in the Bible?
Imagine! The promised Savior would be born to an insignificant young Jewish woman, Mary, from an insignificant little town, Nazareth. Very little is revealed about Mary’s upbringing and circumstances other than that she lived in Nazareth of Galilee. This fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy that the Savior would come from humble beginnings. However, Mary was […]
Why Was Jesus Born? A Christmas Poem
One of my favorite phrases in the Bible was spoken by an angel to a group of shepherds on the first Christmas. The angel came to announce “great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10b, NIV). But what about those for whom Christmas doesn’t feel like great joy? Those for whom Christmas is feels more […]
How to Experience Joy
Bono once said, “Joy is an act of defiance.” I like the way he put it. A joy-filled disposition by a disciple of Jesus is an act of defiance against Satan, sin, disappointment, and especially death. Christmas is an ideal time to remember and embrace the joy proclaimed to the shepherds at the birth of […]
Christmas & the Enemy
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, NIV) Through all the wonder and joy of Jesus’ birth, we know Satan lurks in the background. He must have hated what was happening in Bethlehem. As if they were playing […]
The Christmas Shepherds: Why God Picked Them and What They Teach Us
You ever feel like you’ve missed Christmas? Where it came, went, you did a bunch of activities—but you kind of missed it? Most people did. Most everybody in Israel and even Bethlehem missed the first Christmas. There were only a very few people who actually got it. Even the Wise Men missed it, as they […]
Jesus Is God the Son? Exploring the Logic of Jesus’ Deity
Christians believe that Jesus was a human and God. He was somehow a God-man, God “incarnate.” But does this belief make logical sense? If you’d like to delve into some of the major reasons Christians believe that Jesus was both God and human, you might click here. But even if you conclude that this is […]
Where Was Jesus Born? Exploring 10 Historical Truths
Where was Jesus born? Let’s journey back over 2,000 years to explore the place where Jesus the Messiah was born. Jesus’ birth is literally the basis of the modern calendar that is used all over the world.[1] Currently, we are about to enter the year 2024. In many places the date is still abbreviated as […]
