Articles for tag: Incarnation

November 22, 2020

Mark E. Moore

The Anxiety Antidote (A Study of Luke 2)

Two Announcements of Peace and How We Live In Between And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:8-10). What a sweet story. We can almost hear Linus recounting the entire passage in “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” We see images of sweet children in a

November 16, 2020

Mark Scott

Lesson for Nov. 22, 2020: Be Devoted to Doing Good (Titus 3:1-11)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the November 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ COMPANION RESOURCES “Good for You” by David Faust (Lesson Application) Discovery Questions for Nov. 22, 2020 ________ Lesson Aim: Understand that we are saved to do good for others, not merely for personal benefit. ________ By Mark Scott Thanksgiving is not just a national holiday observed this coming Thursday. It’s an acknowledgment of the

August 19, 2020

Christian Standard

Professor Seeks to Provide ‘Ministry to Ministers’

By Jim Nieman Jody Owens says senior ministers are feeling “under the gun” because of the stress of leading during the coronavirus pandemic. The ministers are working hard to conduct ministry in a form and fashion for which they were not trained and are not accustomed, says Owens, professor of Bible and pastoral ministries with Johnson University. These ministers are making hard decisions and are dealing with other stressors, and—due to circumstances—they are “not getting the feedback and the positive comments they are used to receiving.” INTENSIVE LEARNING RETREATSOwens gleaned some of this information from ministers and church leaders—about 20

June 1, 2020

Stuart Powell

The Conqueror

By Stuart Powell Julius Caesar led his Roman troops to victory at the battle of Zela in 47 BC in what is now northern Turkey. Details of the battle are relegated to history scholars and trivia buffs. Those accounts tell of a complete and rapid victory. A well-known Latin declaration of triumph is attributed to the conqueror: “Veni, vidi, vici.” In English that translates to,  “I came; I saw; I conquered.” We can write these words off as the excessive boasting of an arrogant warlord who died centuries ago. But as believers, we can reapply this proclamation of victory to

May 22, 2019

Christian Standard

We Believe Jesus Is Lord

By John Caldwell The first song I ever learned was “Jesus Loves Me.” The first Bible verse I memorized was John 3:16. I preached my first sermon on that same text; it lasted 10 minutes. When I began my ministry with the infant Kingsway Christian Church, my first sermon was simply entitled “Jesus.” When I retired from that ministry 36 years later, my sermon was “It’s Still Jesus.” If you call me a “Jesus freak,” I’ll consider it a badge of honor. But who is this Jesus? The answer to that question is more important than anything else. Jesus raised

December 25, 2018

Christian Standard

Traveling by Starlight

(This Communion Meditation originally appeared online in December 2012.)   By Lee Magness For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him (John 3:16, 17). About AD 110 in the ancient city of Antioch, a revered Christian leader named Ignatius wrote these words: A star shone forth in the heaven above all the stars; and its light was unutterable, and its strangeness caused

December 13, 2018

Christian Standard

God Touched Man

– Dec. 24, 1932 – It’s fitting to focus on Christmas writings both this week and next. To kick things off, here’s an editorial that appeared on page 14 of the Dec. 24, 1932, issue. It most likely was written by editor Edwin Reeder Errett. _ _ _ GOD TOUCHED MAN  The glorious thing about the act of Jesus in cleansing the lone leper who came to Him saying “If thou wilt”—, was not merely the fact that Jesus cleansed him, or even the fact that Jesus said “I will.” The thing that throws a flood of glory around the

May 21, 2018

Mark Scott

Lesson for May 27, 2018: Rejoicing in Restoration (Psalm 34:1-10; Hebrews 2:17, 18)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 5 (weeks 21–24; May 27—June 17, 2018) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  David Brymer sings, “You bring restoration; you bring restoration; you bring restoration to my soul. You’ve taken my pain; called me by a new name. You’ve taken my shame and in its place, you give me joy.” This is the story of redemption personalized in song. Giving praise to God

December 23, 2017

Christian Standard

What Can I Give Him?

This Christmas essay originally appeared in the December 18/25, 2011, issue of Christian Standard. ___ By Caleb Kaltenbach Every Christmas I struggle with the same thing: what in the world do I give my wife? Do I get her shoes, clothes, jewelry, a massage, or what? Maybe this is a better question: what gift will I give Jesus this season? In Luke 1, we see the birth of a child who would be a gift to Jesus. In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his

December 13, 2017

Christian Standard

Christmas””Miracle or Fairy Tale?

Is Our Concept of God Big Enough to Believe the Christmas Narrative Is Literally True and Historically Accurate? By Bob Russell Several years ago, my granddaughter Corrie started asking probing questions about Santa Claus. Since she was 8 years old, her parents decided it was time to come clean about fairy tales and make believe. My son Phil went into her room, sat down by her bed, and tenderly explained, “The story of Jesus is real but Santa is just pretend.” He told her how the legend started from a generous man named St. Nicholas and then explained that there is no

December 8, 2017

Michael C. Mack

The Christmas Story Is Our Story

By Michael C. Mack Editors probably shouldn”t have a “favorite” issue. After all, I think every issue of Christian Standard has incredibly well-written stories. However . . . I really love this one! Perhaps it”s because the Christmas season brings out so many sentimental memories for me. Or maybe it”s because this issue has lots of awe-inspiring stories about family. Dave Stone, Kyle Idleman, and Rusty Russell tell stories of how their parents blessed them and their ministries. Joe Harvey shares how he and Val have blessed their daughter Mandy, and how she in turn is blessing them. We have

November 16, 2017

Christian Standard

Incarnation and Resurrection

By Teresa D. Welch Strips of cloth, angels, a man named Joseph, a bed, spices, an angel”s “do not be afraid” message, and a group rushing to tell others the good news. In the context of December, with decorated trees and carolers singing “fa-la-la-la-la,” you most likely associated those items with the story found in Luke 2: “And she [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed in him a manager” (v. 7). But these elements of the Christmas story also appear in a different story about Christ. The story of Christmas reminds

April 6, 2017

Christian Standard

Coming Near

By Jennifer Johnson One of the most commonly quoted verses from Eugene Peterson”s The Message Bible is John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.” This metaphor for the incarnation is referenced so often because, like all good poetic language, it succinctly describes a profound truth: Jesus not only came to earth to be with us, he came to be one of us. Following Jesus means following his example and “incarnating” the gospel in our own neighborhoods. Sometimes this means tutoring children or planting a church. For Salt & Light, it meant offering opportunities to

March 24, 2017

Christian Standard

Amazing Love!

By Becky Ahlberg One of the universal truths we consider when we gather around the Communion table each week is to remember the amazing love of God. “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sin” (1 John 4:10). God incarnate showed his love in his willingness to bear the shame, endure the cross, and be the bridge that brings us back into relationship with him. All these things are illustrations of his indescribable love. One of the first Scriptures most of us memorized is

January 20, 2017

Christian Standard

An Occasion for Unity

By Ronald G. Davis On the same occasion Jesus put in place this memory meal, he prayed fervently for the unity of those who would assemble around his table. Sadly, this table has often divided those “who believe in him,” the ones for whom he prayed (John 17:20). Churches have had significant and insignificant disputes about the Lord”s table. There have been disputes over who should be at the table. Over which believers should be present. Over what the emblems should look like. Over how often the emblems should be available. Over such small matters as to when in the

December 28, 2016

Christian Standard

Christmas Communicates

By Jim Tune “What we”ve got here is failure to communicate,” said the prison warden in the 1967 movie Cool Hand Luke. The line has endured because communication is so tough. Marketers spend millions of dollars to communicate. Marriages have broken down due to a lack of communication. In some ways, communication is everything. The ultimate communication gap, though, is between God and us. Left to ourselves, we”d never be able to figure out what God is like. We would know that he exists, but what is he really like? Is he angry and harsh? Is he loving? Does he

December 19, 2016

Christian Standard

Lesson for December 25, 2016: The Savior Has Arrived (Luke 2:1-21)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the December 18 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  “The Savior has arrived.” That is quite a headline. Big news. Make no mistake””this is a big day for the church. Joni Eareckson Tada said, “If God can become man, then everything else is easy.” Paul Scherer, who taught homiletics at Princeton Theological Seminary, said, “God came walking down the stairs of heaven with a baby

December 11, 2016

Christian Standard

Mystery, Model, Hope

By Chad Ragsdale Difficult to comprehend, frustrating to explain, the fact that God became flesh is central to our faith. And he did it through the birth of a baby to a virgin. Sometimes I wonder what Christmas at Job”s house would have been like. Holidays can be especially difficult for families living in the wake of tragedy. The songs, parties, and decorations might have the opposite of their intended effect. Rather than inspiring goodwill and joy, they only amplify loss and grief. So try to imagine living through Job”s unimaginable loss while also navigating the joy, festivity, and family

December 7, 2016

Christian Standard

Incarnation

By Jim Tune “”˜The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “˜God with us”)” (Matthew 1:23). We build our walls and we call it peace. In Northern Ireland, miles and miles of “peace walls” snake through Belfast and some other cities to separate Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods. The first walls were built in 1969 during the outbreak of “the Troubles.” Even since the Good Friday peace agreement was finally reached in 1998, many miles of new walls have been built. Forty-eight peace walls exist in Northern Ireland today. They divide

November 23, 2016

Christian Standard

Days of Beauty

By Jim Tune A few of my friends have been participating in a project called “Days of Gratitude.” In an effort to be mindful of their blessings, each day they record, usually on social media, something for which they are grateful. It”s a useful exercise, and some have said the daily habit is having a positive effect on their disposition. On Canadian Thanksgiving (yes, Canadians have their own annual holiday on the second Monday of October), I decided to do something similar. My journey was to recognize and appreciate something beautiful every day for 30 days. I confess that this

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