March 17, 2024
“And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38 ESV). In the gospel of Luke, an 84 year old widow named Anna came up to the Temple at the same time that Mary
March 17, 2023
“Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people” (Luke 2:52 NLT). Luke is the only gospel that describes how Jesus grew up. The story of twelve year old Jesus talking with the teachers in the Temple, while His family was looking for Him, is a very interesting
December 24, 2022 | Luke 2:1-14 |
Everyone loves a story. And the best stories are worth telling over and over again.
What story are you telling yourself this Christmas. Is it a story about your past? Past mistakes you’ve made? Past hurts you’ve experienced? Or maybe it’s today’s story? So many of us get discouraged and even depressed at this time of year. Maybe there’ll be an empty seat at the Christmas dinner table this year? You’ve lost a loved one and Christmas won’t be the same? Or maybe it’s because we’re telling ourselves the wrong story. What if there’s a better story? In Luke’s gospel, an angel of the Lord invited the shepherds to come and be part of Christ’s story. The Lord still invites us to be part of Christ’s story.
March 17, 2022
HOW LONG BEFORE MISSING JESUS? Twelve year old Jesus traveled with his family to Jerusalem for the Passover festival as they did every year. They traveled with a large entourage of friends and family from Nazareth. It was a wonderfully joyous annual holiday. Yet, after traveling a day’s journey on the way back home, they
December 19, 2021 | Luke 2:1-20 |
Don’t you feel the tug towards something more simple? The Christmas season has become so chaotic and busy. Don’t you long for less chaos and more meaning? Something less fleeting and more lasting? Don’t you think Christians ought to know how to celebrate Christmas best? It seems that the world should be at our door at this season, but we’ve lost our distinctiveness. We’ve joined the world’s celebration instead of inviting them to ours.
Let’s go against the consumer Christmas culture this year by focusing less on giving presents and more on being present. Let’s get back to the simple story about Jesus.
March 17, 2021
HAVE YOU HEADED OUT WITHOUT JESUS? After a frantic, three day search, Mary and Joseph found twelve year old Jesus with the teachers in the temple. Mary asked why He had done this to them, causing them such worry, searching for Him. They didn’t understand Jesus’ reply at the time, but Mary continued to ponder
December 20, 2020 | Luke 2:1-20 |
Like Charlie Brown, when we make Christmas about something other than the coming of Christ, we’ll always be disappointed. If we make it about spending money and giving and receiving gifts, sure we might be happy for a day. But the bill for the gifts we put on our credit cards in December, come due in January. After the gifts, the food and the fun, there’s the cleanup and the packing away of Christmas decorations and lights. Our holiday festivities that we looked so forward to, always quickly come to end. Where’s the meaning? Where’s the joy that lasts for more than a day?
The answer is only found in understanding the true meaning of Christmas, by seeing the Genuine Light of Christmas found in the coming of Jesus Christ.
December 22, 2019 | Luke 2:1-20 |
God invited total strangers (the shepherds) to his son’s first birthday party. But did you know you were on the guest list too? The Christ was born for all of us, “unto you” is for me and you. Have you accepted His invitation? You’re on the guest list.
In the gospel of Luke, he recorded the story of Jesus’ birth which an angel of the Lord announced to the shepherds, inviting them to come and see the promised Savior, who is Christ the Lord. We too are on God’s guest list. We are invited to come to the Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
March 17, 2019
FOUR AREAS OF HEALTHY CHRISTIAN GROWTH Luke is the only gospel that describes how Jesus grew up. The story of twelve year old Jesus talking with the teachers in the Temple, while His family was looking for Him, is a very interesting glimpse into His youth. And it begs the question, “What did it look
December 23, 2018 | Luke 2:1-20 |
Have you unwrapped the story? Have you joined the shepherds by seeing and hearing it for yourselves, believing the good news about Jesus? A gift isn’t really yours until you unwrap it. In the gospel of Luke, he recorded the story of the good news of Jesus’ birth which an angel of the Lord announced, revealing the true identity of Jesus to the shepherds. We can unwrap the story of Jesus’ birth that reveals the good news of His true identity.