1. Jesus is the reason for the season. The primary purpose for observing Christmas is remembering Jesus’s birth. At Christmas, we celebrate Jesus’s birthday, not the little drummer boy or Santa Claus! 2. Jesus preexisted with God in the beginning before the world began. Jesus’s birth as a baby in a Bethlehem manger doesn’t mark… Read More
Where Was Jesus Born? – 5 Things to Know about Bethlehem
Where Was Jesus Born? The Bible tells us that Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem, which is just south of Jerusalem. It’s a fact that most Christians and many non-Christians know, due to its inclusion in several popular Christmas carols and hymns. Even if someone only goes to church once a year, there’s a… Read More
The 5 Days of Christmas: Day 5
God’s Unfolding Story Many of us are grateful for Christmas as a time where we get together with our immediate and extended family, give and receive Christmas presents, and catch our breath at the end of a busy year before another year gets underway. But as we write in the conclusion to The First Days… Read More
The 5 Days of Christmas: Day 4
John’s Story: The Incarnate Word John’s Gospel immediately stands out as different from the others. It doesn’t start out with a birth narrative per se, but it does start out with important beginnings: “In the beginning was the Word.” This opening statement to John’s magisterial Gospel alludes to the original creation account in Genesis. If you… Read More
The 5 Days of Christmas: Day 3
Luke’s Story: Two Miraculous Conceptions Luke 1:1–4 tells us that his Gospel is undergirded by a robust historical method. The evangelist affirms that the narratives about Jesus on which he draws are based on eyewitness testimony. He also states that he personally investigated the events concerning Jesus’ life so that he could write an “orderly account”… Read More