The Christmas Story

Prophecies

I will put enmity between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
    and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15 ESV)

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3 ESV)

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. (Jeremiah 23:5 ESV)

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me 
    one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
    from ancient days. (Micah 5:2 ESV)

 The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. . . .

Your Life as a Movie Trailer

In the last couple of months, Youtube has been bombarded with buzzing movie trailers: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Jurassic World, Terminator: Genisys, and several others. A minute–to–two and a half minute collages of emotion stirring, adrenaline rushing, and action-packed clips, showing the best of the movies to get you hyped up to go see them. Helping you to determine if these are movies that you want to see, or films not even worth your time.

What would your life look like, if it was put into a movie trailer?

Would it be that movie that everyone is talking about, that they can’t wait to see! and buy tickets for it as soon as they’re available–or–is it a trailer that people yawn at and wish that it would hurry up and end so that they can get to the movie.

Who determines what kind of trailer your life will be?

CHRISTmas Songs All-Yearlong?

Should we listen to Christmas music only one time a year? Now, I’m not talking about the fun jingles like “Frosty the Snowman” or “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” but what about the songs of the babe in the manger?

The coming of the Messiah, the coming of Jesus, is a glorious thing to party about! and I’m grateful that there is a day set aside to celebrate his coming, but is it enough? I say nay. Just as Christ’s resurrection should not only be remembered on Easter, neither should his birth be only remembered in December.

Therefore, I vote to celebrate Christmas–not Santa Claus, not presents, not hanging lights [though there is nothing wrong with any of these things]–but the birth of the prince of Heaven who sacrificed his glory, his deity to become human. Flesh, smelly, something that sweats, poops, and farts. And not only human, but a baby, submitting himself to be cared after by two imperfect parents. The King of kings becoming a servant, so that one day, he may feel death’s sting, so that he may die on the cross, and resurrect on the third day, for the forgiveness of our sins.