December 24, 2023
In today's penultimate Christmas memory, Team Expansion president Doug Lucas describes a scene during a bus ride that opened his eyes in a new way to the great need for Christ around the world. . . .
December 14, 2023
"The coming of Christ is breathtakingly good news for all who feel overwhelmed with any need," Alan Ahlgrim wrote in 2014. "Jesus didn't merely identify with us; he came to assume the crushing, overwhelming burden of our sin. . . ."
December 20, 2022
Luke 2 describes a sky full of heavenly hosts giving glory to God because a Savior had been born. . . . Angels appear elsewhere in Scripture and bring significant news. But those appearances are not followed by a sky full of heavenly beings giving glory to God. . . .
December 23, 2021
"It’s the late 1990s, and I’m sitting in the audience of the annual Christmas production at my suburban megachurch when something happens that’s obviously not in the script (or the Scriptures, for that matter)," writes Austin Gohn, lead pastor with Bellevue Christian Church in Pittsburgh.
December 13, 2021
Through the rest of the Christmas season, how will you follow the shepherds’ example of spreading “the word concerning what had been told them about this child”?
December 24, 2020
For the final two Thursdays of 2020, we will share short editorials from the Christmas Day 1920 issue of Christian Standard. The first 100-year-old editorial is an homage to Christ and Christmas, while next week’s will look back at 1920 (and “forward” to 1921). George Perry Rutledge was editor during the years 1917-22, and he presumably wrote both of these editorials. _ _ _ Emmanuel An editorialDec. 25, 1920; p. 10 The soul of Christmas is revealed in one of the names of Jesus—“Emmanuel,” God with us. The world’s habit of parade, and noise, and money-getting, has obscured this great
December 14, 2020
This “Application” column goes with the Bible Lesson for Dec. 20, 2020: Fulfilled through Promise (Matthew 2:1-15) ________ By David Faust While in Israel filming a documentary about the basics of the Christian faith, I visited Herodium, the palatial residence designed for King Herod’s protection and pleasure. By all accounts Herod was paranoid and cruel. He tortured and killed family members, servants, and bodyguards. Ironically, this ruthless ruler who destroyed so many lives was an innovative and prolific builder who oversaw the construction of enormous forts, palaces, water projects, and Jerusalem’s crown jewel, the Jewish temple. Herodium (also known as
November 30, 2020
Note: Over a four-week period leading up to Christmas, our Communion meditations are considering four essential features to the story of the birth of God’s Son. This week we highlight the town of Bethlehem. By Stuart Powell When Rome ruled the Mediterranean region, many cities rose to prominence in the empire while others lingered in obscurity. Bethlehem was an insignificant place by then, though it had been the birthplace of King David a thousand years earlier. Long before the Romans conquered much of the civilized world, the luster of Bethlehem’s importance had been forgotten. That was the situation 300 years
November 22, 2020
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
December 15, 2019
We plan to post a few Christmas-themed articles from Christian Standard’s archives during the days leading up to the celebration of Jesus’ birth. We’ll start with this Christmas quiz from 1974. _ _ _ How’s Your Christmas I.Q.? December 15, 1974; p. 12;By Maxine Fream You’ve heard the Christmas story ever since you were a small child and you know it backwards and forwards, right? So you should have no trouble answering the following few questions, right? Watch it! True or false?— 1. Joseph and Mary were both descended from King David. 2. Joseph thought Mary’s child was illegitimate and
December 17, 2018
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. 13 (weeks 49–53; December 9–30, 2018) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ Lesson Aim: Marvel at how God wholly fulfilled prophetic promises in Jesus. ______ By Mark Scott One evidence that the Bible is divine is the record of fulfilled predictive prophecies. The Bible was written over a period of 1,500 years by at least 40 different human writers. The evidence of fulfilled prophecy is extremely faith
December 11, 2018
(This Communion Meditation originally appeared online in December 2012.) By Lee Magness So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David. . . . He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child (Luke 2:4, 5). As the time approached for him to be taken up, . . . Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem (Luke 9:51). They journeyed to Judea—Joseph closing his shop, Mary pregnant, too pregnant for such a taxing trip. To Bethlehem, with its
December 20, 2017
This Christmas editorial from December 20, 1969, was written by Edwin V. Hayden, who served as editor of Christian Standard from 1957 to 1977. ___ By Edwin V. Hayden We observe, without being greatly disturbed by it, a growing tendency for Christmas to be observed as a season rather than as a day. For many it is a season of merchandising and merriment, merely extending what they have always done with the day. For Christians it is a season for becoming acquainted with Christ, and the more greatly that is extended, the better! It is hard to pinpoint Christmas, even as a
November 16, 2017
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
December 19, 2016
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 20, 2015
By Bob Mink The Christmas season is a special time of year for almost everyone””especially its sights, sounds, and smells. Who doesn”t like the smell of a fresh-cut tree or of cookies baking? Who doesn”t appreciate a “Merry Christmas” greeting or festive holiday music? Who isn”t drawn to the lights and decorations? I enjoy all these at Christmastime every year. And why not? Christians can decorate a tree, bake special cookies, and give gifts all while fully embracing the meaning in the birth of Jesus. And maybe thinking about the sights, sounds, and smells of that first Christmas can make
December 13, 2015
By Becky Ahlberg For many, especially church leaders, Christmas is more chaos than celebration. Besides the extra programs and parties, family responsibilities and expectations also expand. These short meditations (which started December 6 and will continue with a new, early morning post each day through January 1) are designed with leaders in mind. Take a few minutes each day to ponder these thoughts designed to help you find the wonder of the incarnation in the midst of your responsibilities. Advent is simply a time to prepare for the celebration of Christ”s birth. In liturgical settings, Advent begins four Sundays before
December 9, 2015
By Becky Ahlberg Wednesday, December 9 Start your thoughts this morning reading Romans 5:1-5. Perseverance and character“”these are two strong words, but we usually don”t think of them as the stuff of Christmas. And yet, they are at the heart of it. When you come right down to it, Christmas is a pretty rough story. Think of the cast in this play, and how those two words made Christmas possible: Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, Anna, Simeon, and Christ. For all of them, there could easily be a focus on shame and suffering, and yet each of them experienced and understood
December 25, 2014
By Mark A. Taylor Many of us witness costumed actors portraying angels in this month”s Christmas plays and pageants. But I”m pretty sure our versions don”t look much like the real angels of Luke 1 and 2. Years ago I attended the “Glory of Christmas” production at Southern California”s Crystal Cathedral, where the angels stole the show. There must have been a dozen of them, suspended through the vast expanse between the auditorium”s ceiling and the crowd below. Flowing gowns and ballet poses made these performers look ethereal and attractive, but that”s not how Luke describes the angels in his
December 21, 2014
By Alan Ahlgrim A few unsuspecting shepherds were minding their own business when they were suddenly overwhelmed by Christmas. According to the classic Christmas text in Luke 2, the message and how it was delivered terrified them. An angel appeared. The radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were told in unmistakable fashion that the Savior had been born! The news was stunningly and extraordinarily good. It’s no wonder the angels were overwhelmed when they heard it. Overwhelmed is a great way to describe how many of us feel much of the time—especially at Christmastime. In fact, I suspect
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