Tag Archives: Incarnation/Christmas

Tremendous Truths from Jesus’ Family Tree

Posted on by
Some time ago my oldest sister became interested in our family tree. She dug into some old dusty records and family Bibles and traced our family line back to Holland where she found the names of our ancestors for several hundred years. When we turn to the first chapter of the book of Matthew, we find a much greater family tree. It covers not just 200 years, but 2000 years. It is the family tree of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Matthew was written for the Jews.

The Virgin Birth: A Mystery to Be Cried Aloud

Posted on by
The virgin birth refers to Mary’s miraculous conception of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, without any male participation, so that, though the birth process was not unlike that of other humans, Mary was still a virgin when Jesus was born. This Biblical doctrine should be distinguished from the Roman Catholic tenets of Mary’s immaculate conception and her perpetual virginity (Erickson, 179). The Dogma of the Immaculate Conception According to the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, Mary was “preserved free from all stain of original sin” (Ott, 199).

The Shepherds in Search of the Savior

Posted on by
The birth of our Savior is surrounded by striking events. The story of the wise men journeying from afar with precious gifts to worship the Savior has captured the imagination of devout Bible students as well as poets and artists. There is another thrilling account which has excited both young and old. It is the angelic announcement to the shepherds and their adoration of the newborn child. Luke, the evangelist, records the intriguing incident in Luke 2:8–20. I. The Revelation by the Heavenly Messengers: Luke 2:8–14 A.

The Mysterious Magi: Sages Seeking the Savior

Posted on by
In the German city of Cologne, on a hill high above the Rhine River, stands Germany’s largest cathedral. This impressive example of gothic architecture was built between 1248 and 1880. The purpose of this towering cathedral was to provide a suitable home for a spectacular golden shrine, containing according to Catholic tradition the mortal remains of the three wise men. The bones of Balthasar, Caspar and Melchior were brought here from Italy in 1164 and soon attracted hosts of pilgrims from throughout Europe.

The Star of Bethlehem: Its Mystery, Magic, and Message

Posted on by
The thrilling Christmas event of the eternal Creator God becoming man will always be shrouded in mystery. Paul, in reciting perhaps an early Christian hymn, expressed the event thusly: “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16a). Other mysteries in connection with the incarnation have excited interested saints since the first Christmas day. The identity of the magi and the appearance of a mysterious star have perplexed sincere minds for the past two millennia.

The Forgotten Person in the Christmas Story

Posted on by
As the Christmas season approaches, the believer’s thoughts are focused once again on the miracle of incarnation. The Apostle Paul, in awe of the marvelous event, observes that “without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16). Much of the teaching and preaching of the account of the first Christmas rightly focuses on the One who as the eternal creator God became man in order to minister to man and give His life for man’s redemption (Matt.

What Happened to Christmas?

Posted on by
Reader’s Digest asked this question in its August 1992 issue and concluded, “Christmas, once a purely religious holiday, now mostly means Santa Claus and stockings, sleigh bells and candy canes—and seems to have little or nothing to do with the birth of Christ.” Schools are forbidden to celebrate the birth of Christ. Community property may not be used for scenes of Christ’s birth. Businesses make it their greatest profit period for the year. Churches have downgraded it in their program to a musical and a sermon or two.

Christmas

Posted on by
Christmas is the most important holiday in our nation. As observed in our country today, Christmas is a strange mixture of Biblical truth, church tradition, folk custom and commercialism. It is one of the busiest seasons for travel. It is important not only to the airlines and bus companies, but also to many other kinds of businesses. Some businesses make Christmas lights, Christmas decorations, Christmas cards, and Christmas gift items all year long. A variety of other businesses depend on Christmas sales for a part of their annual income.

Jesus’ Birth…An Act of God or an Accident of Man

Posted on by
Understanding the “how” of Jesus’ coming into this world has been the subject of discussion since the time of Paul the Apostle. Every generation has made an attempt to explain His birth in human terms rather than a miraculous act of God. One school of thought supposes that Joseph and Mary entered into an intimate relationship before their marriage rites were completed and Jesus was born as a result of that action. More recently liberal theologians have speculated that Mary and a German soldier engaged in immoral activity that produced Jesus.