“These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you —that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ~ Jesus [Luke 24:44 HCSB]

This time of year begs self evaluation. Start with a reminder from Peter to focus on eternal growth in grace and knowledge.

¹ Dear friends, this is now the second letter I have written to you; in both letters, I want to develop a genuine understanding with a reminder, ² so that you can remember the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your apostles. [2 Peter 3:1-2 HCSB] . . .

 ¹⁰ But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed. ¹¹ Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness ¹² as you wait for and earnestly desire the coming of the day of God. The heavens will be on fire and be dissolved because of it, and the elements will melt with the heat. ¹³ But based on His promise, we wait for the new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will dwell.

  ¹⁴ Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found at peace with Him without spot or blemish. ¹⁵ Also, regard the patience of our Lord as an opportunity for salvation, just as our dear brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him. ¹⁶ He speaks about these things in all his letters in which there are some matters that are hard to understand. The untaught and unstable twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures. ¹⁷ Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, be on your guard, so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own stability. ¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. [2 Peter 3:10-18 HCSB]

The theme of 1 Peter was grace; the theme of 2 Peter was knowledge; Peter sums up both books by admonishing us to grow in grace and in knowledge. This knowledge is not merely that of the Bible; it is knowledge of Christ through the Bible. We must come to know Him better. It is possible, unfortunately, to grow in knowledge (have Bible truth in our heads) and never grow in grace (show Bible truth in our lives). Peter wants us to have balanced lives: we should learn and live the Word. Continue Reading…

“These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you —that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ~ Jesus [Luke 24:44 HCSB]

The Birth of Jesus (As outlined by Warren Wiersbe, [amplified] by Origins author)

III. Adoration (Luke 2:21-40)

²¹ When the eight days were completed for His circumcision, He was named Jesus —the name given by the angel before He was conceived. ²² And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were finished, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³ (just as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male will be dedicated to the Lord) ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice (according to what is stated in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons). ²⁵ There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law, ²⁸ Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said: ²⁹ Now, Master, You can dismiss Your slave in peace, as You promised. ³⁰ For my eyes have seen Your salvation. ³¹ You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples — ³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to Your people Israel. ³³ His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about Him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and told His mother Mary: “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed — ³⁵ and a sword will pierce your own soul —that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” ³⁶ There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and was a widow for 84 years. She did not leave the temple complex, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers. ³⁸ At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about Him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. ³⁹ When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on Him. [Luke 2:21-40 HCSB]

Jesus was “made under the law” (Galatians 4:4) and was therefore circumcised on the eighth day (Genesis 17:12) and given the name “Jesus,” which means “Jehovah is salvation.” Continue Reading…

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.  What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.  What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”  ~ Dr Seuss

“These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you —that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ~ Jesus [Luke 24:44 HCSB]

The Birth of Jesus (As outlined by Warren Wiersbe, amplified by Origins author)

I. Advent (Luke 2:1-7)

 ¹ In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. ² This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴ And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, ⁵ to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷ Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough —because there was no room for them at the lodging place. [Luke 2:1-7 HCSB]

 That Jesus would be born in Bethlehem was ordained by God long before Caesar Augustus made his decree.

² Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; One will come from you to be ruler over Israel for Me. His origin is from antiquity, from eternity. [Micah 5:2 HCSB]

 The difficult three-day journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem may have taken longer because of Mary’s condition. Some preachers and some people who present Christmas pageants like to condemn the innkeeper because he did not give Mary a decent place to give birth to her Baby, but the Bible is silent about the matter. The “inn” was probably a typical Eastern “caravansary,” a two-story structure (the lower level was for animals) built around a courtyard where travelers could camp. Jesus must have been born in one of the cattle stalls; the feeding trough was His bed.

⁵ Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. ⁷ Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, ⁸ He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cross. ⁹ For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow — of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth — ¹¹ and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. [Philippians 2:5-11 HCSB]

⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though He was rich, for your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich. [2 Corinthians 8:9 HCSB]

What aspects of the Christian life do you think we would be missing today if Jesus had been born to luxury and power? Continue Reading…

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.  What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.  What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”  ~ Dr Seuss

 “These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you —that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ~ Jesus [Luke 24:44 HCSB]

Focal Passage: Psalm 22 – The Suffering
For the choir director: according to “The Deer of the Dawn.” A Davidic psalm.

¹ My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from my deliverance and from my words of groaning? ² My God, I cry by day, but You do not answer, by night, yet I have no rest. ³ But You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. ⁴ Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You rescued them. ⁵ They cried to You and were set free; they trusted in You and were not disgraced. 

⁶ But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by people. ⁷ Everyone who sees me mocks me; they sneer and shake their heads: ⁸ “He relies on the Lord; let Him rescue him; let the Lord deliver him, since He takes pleasure in him.” 

 ⁹ You took me from the womb, making me secure while at my mother’s breast. ¹⁰ I was given over to You at birth; You have been my God from my mother’s womb. 

 ¹¹ Do not be far from me, because distress is near and there is no one to help. 

 ¹² Many bulls surround me; strong ones of Bashan encircle me. ¹³ They open their mouths against me— lions, mauling and roaring. ¹⁴ I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed; my heart is like wax, melting within me. ¹⁵ My strength is dried up like baked clay; my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You put me into the dust of death. ¹⁶ For dogs have surrounded me; a gang of evildoers has closed in on me; they pierced my hands and my feet. ¹⁷ I can count all my bones; people look and stare at me. ¹⁸ They divided my garments among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing. 

 ¹⁹ But You, Lord, don’t be far away. My strength, come quickly to help me. ²⁰ Deliver my life from the sword, my only life from the power of these dogs. ²¹ Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen. [Psalm 22:1-21 HCSB]

 The Shepherd Psalms
These three familiar and beloved psalms present Christ as the Shepherd, each one emphasizing a different aspect of His Person and His work. Psalm 22 pictures the Good Shepherd dying for the sheep; Psalm 23 the Great Shepherd caring for the sheep; and Psalm 24 the Chief Shepherd coming for the sheep. In other words, Christ died for us (past), Christ lives for us (present), and Christ will come for us (future). [Wiersbe's Expository Outlines]

What aspects of Christ as a Shepherd connect with you? Continue Reading…

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.  What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.  What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”  ~ Dr Seuss

“These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you —that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ~ Jesus [Luke 24:44 HCSB]

Focal Passage: The Gospel  Foretold by Isaiah [Isaiah 53:1-12 HCSB] 

  ¹ Who has believed what we have heard? And who has the arm of the Lord been revealed to? ² He grew up before Him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at Him, no appearance that we should desire Him. ³ He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn’t value Him.

  ⁴ Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. ⁵ But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds. ⁶ We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all.  

⁷ He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, He did not open His mouth. ⁸ He was taken away because of oppression and judgment; and who considered His fate? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was struck because of my people’s rebellion. ⁹ They made His grave with the wicked and with a rich man at His death, although He had done no violence and had not spoken deceitfully.  

¹⁰ Yet the Lord was pleased to crush Him severely. When You make Him a restitution offering, He will see His seed, He will prolong His days, and by His hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished. ¹¹ He will see it out of His anguish, and He will be satisfied with His knowledge. My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will carry their iniquities. ¹² Therefore I will give Him the many as a portion, and He will receive the mighty as spoil, because He submitted Himself to death, and was counted among the rebels; yet He bore the sin of many and interceded for the rebels.

When you picture Jesus in your mind’s eye, what does He look like?

What are some of the other ways we assume Jesus is more like us than he really is?

Continue Reading…