How to Finally Unwrap Some Joy This Christmas
Perhaps you never realized that it was Jesus’ attitude of unselfishness that launched Him from the splendour of heaven all the way down to a humble manger in Bethlehem…and later to the cross of Calvary.
Perhaps you never realized that it was Jesus’ attitude of unselfishness that launched Him from the splendour of heaven all the way down to a humble manger in Bethlehem…and later to the cross of Calvary.
The doctrine of the virgin birth, or perhaps more accurately the virgin conception, is important for many reasons. On it hang the doctrines of original sin, the inspiration of Scripture, who Jesus was, and what Jesus did in salvation.
Christians need to take time to answer the significant biblical questions people have. And many of those questions have to do with the identity of Jesus. Who is He? Why did He come? What did He teach? How can I connect with Him? These are the same questions asked centuries ago by people who lived when Jesus did. Let’s see how Matthew’s gospel answers these questions.
Unless we view Bethlehem from the perspective of the cross, most of what we sing and celebrate at Christmas amounts to glorying in the cradle, not the cross.
The book of Ecclesiastes ends with the rebel back in the pulpit, now that his heart and soul are above the sun.
Since all of us will “return to the earth” and since our spirit “will return to God who gave it,” now is the time to remember Him in all our ways.
If joy depended on our circumstances, we’d have had an awful year. But we haven’t.
Enjoying life is inseparably linked to the life and plan of our Creator.
Christmas should be simple but there’s such a hype about it I’m exhausted before December hits. This year I want to avoid being stuck in a loop of stress and a bad attitude. I want to skip Christmas.
Perhaps the best way to paraphrase Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 would be the five-word command, “Stop existing and start living!”