December 16, 2024
December 22 Application | If the Manger Is Empty
The Bible doesn’t mandate observing Christmas as a winter festival, but what are all the lights, decorations, and music meant to celebrate, if not the incarnation of Christ?
December 16, 2024
The Bible doesn’t mandate observing Christmas as a winter festival, but what are all the lights, decorations, and music meant to celebrate, if not the incarnation of Christ?
December 4, 2023
The biblical record of Jesus’ birth calls our attention to two kings. . . .
February 25, 2016
By Daniel Schantz It was a covert invasion of the world. Pianos began showing up everywhere, beginning in the 1920s, quietly infiltrating homes and schools, churches and clubs, theaters and malls, bars and restaurants. Even wilderness camps, remote mission fields, and sod huts on the prairie soon had pianos. Little wonder the 20th century was called “the golden age of the piano,” and the piano was dubbed “the most popular musical instrument in the world.” Learning to play the piano was a rite of passage for many American children back then, a part of fine breeding, before our children were seduced by soccer and
December 4, 2015
By Lee Magness Luke tells us three things about the location of Jesus” birth: the town, the building, and the furniture. First, Luke emphasizes that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, mentioning the town four times (2:4, 6, 11, and 15). Bethlehem was a farming village, insignificant except for one thing””being the birthplace of King David. No, make that two things””Bethlehem means “house of bread.” Jesus, the “bread of life,” was born in the “house of bread.” Second, Luke tells us there was no guest room for Mary and Joseph when it was time for Jesus to be born (Luke 2:7).
December 22, 2012
By Elaine L. Schulte In early December, my husband and I packed for a small-ship adventure in the South Pacific. I phoned our friends and neighbors, Judy and Andy, who would travel with us. “Will there be a pastor for Christmas on such a small ship?” I asked them. “What if God wants us to conduct the Christmas service?” “I”ll bring songbooks, just in case,” Judy replied. “I could do my Christmas reading. . . .” We were willing. On December 17, we flew to Guam, a United States protectorate. Our bus”s guide said, “Don”t expect too much. Guam is