What shall we offer
You, O Christ,
who for our sakes has appeared on earth
as a man?
Every creature made by You
offers You thanks,
the angels offer You a hymn;
the heavens a star; the magi gifts;
The shepherds, their wonder;
the earth its cave;
the wilderness, the manger;
and we offer You a virgin mother.
O pre-eternal God, have mercy on us!
Nativity Vespers, Mother Melania, The Nativity of Our Lord
His name shall be called Wonderful
The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory
as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth. - Thou hast
magnified thy word above all thy name.
They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. -
JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
All men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. - God ... hath
highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. - Far above
all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is
named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put
all things under his feet. - He had a name written, that no man knew, but he
himself ... KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out. - What is his name, and what is
his son's name, if thou canst tell?
ISA. 9:6. John 1:14. -Psa. 138:2. Matt. 1:23. Matt. 1:21. John 5:23. Phi. 2.9.
-Eph. 1:21,22. Rev. 19:12,16. Job 37:23. Prov. 30:4.
Man is in as much need of communion with God as God is in
need of nothing.
For this is the glory of man: to persevere and remain in the service of God.
Irenaeus, Against the Heresies: The Scandal of the Incarnation
This Christmas, Let Us ...
"This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten
friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft
answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise.
Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your
demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a
little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a
child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and
then speak it again." - Howard W. Hunter
Malankara World Advent
Supplement
For articles, sermons, daily advent reflections,
bible reading plan, prayers, and hymns celebrating the Advent Season, see the
Malankara World Advent
Supplement.
Peace, Love,
and Angels
In a world torn and ragged, Christ alone offers true peace. Let us soak in this
peace as we remember the night he lay as an infant in a tumultuous world he
would soon change forever. Let us soak in this peace as we partake of the Lord's
Supper and remember that his body was broken out of love for us. ...
A Christmas
Meditation - The Feast of Love
We, as Christians, were told for generations that Christmas is the feast of
love. Why do we call Christmas the feast of love? Let us have some thoughts into
this question. ...
Why Jesus Really Came
I want you to try and picture those moments in heaven just before God the Son
left His throne of majesty and came to earth as a baby. Think about it: The
angels in heaven understood the life that lay before Him. The Father was putting
Him on a path that would lead to humiliation and death. And Christ Himself knew
the pain He would endure on the cross. ...
What if Jesus
hadn't been born?
I want you to try to imagine what the world would be like without the birth of
Jesus Christ. It's beyond our imagination, but just try to picture it. We
certainly wouldn't know God as we know Him. In fact, we'd be fortunate to have
even heard about the God revealed in the Old Testament. ...
Unfamiliar Christmas
Christian or otherwise, the Christmas story is often viewed as
wonderful in its familiarity, calling forth each year a childhood
delight in the monotonous, beckoning our imaginations to a stable
and a story. Christmas hymns, full of imagery and story, are piped
in as background music at post offices and malls. Manger scenes can
still be found as part of familiar Christmas décor. ...
God's Love Personified
Recognizing Jesus as the reason for the season isn't just a nice
Christmas card slogan - it's the whole message. When God wanted to
demonstrate for us the ultimate example of the reality and depth of
His love, He did it through a person - giving Himself through His
Son, Jesus Christ. God's love, then and now isn't waiting out there
until we are good enough to deserve it - it's fully operational in
this moment. ...
Why Did Jesus
Come?
Jesus Christ came to proclaim good news to the spiritually hurting, to
preach the good news to us.
He came to heal the broken-hearted. Medical science has found ways to reduce and
even remove pain. But there is no cure for a broken heart.
Jesus came to set people free who are bound by sin. ...
Christmas Eve
On the night before Jesus was born, the shepherds would have seen the night sky
the way they had seen it thousands of times before. That was a quiet night, in
stark contrast to the following night, when an angel would appear with "the
glory of the Lord," announcing the birth of the child--then join with a great
company of heavenly beings proclaiming glory and peace....
Peace, Love, and
Angels
In a world torn and ragged, Christ alone offers true peace. Let us soak in this
peace as we remember the night he lay as an infant in a tumultuous world he
would soon change forever. Let us soak in this peace as we partake of the Lord's
Supper and remember that his body was broken out of love for us. Let us become
this peace, in a world so full of violence, abuse, and ignorance. For we cannot
change the world; but we can open up our own hearts to be transformed through
Christ. ...
Peace on Earth?
One criticism unbelievers often have about Christ is that if he was
supposed to bring peace, why do we have wars, why is there strife?
...
Christmas in Heaven
This is how heaven celebrated the first Christmas. On this holy night, in
effect, heaven momentarily came to earth. Heaven and earth are always
co-existing, but sometimes they can seem worlds apart and other times separated
by only a thin veil. When tragedy hits, when illness prevails, heaven can
sometimes seem distant. ...
The
Purpose of Jesus' Birth
The spirit of this season is to celebrate
the birth of Jesus, but is it being done in the Spirit of Christ?
Five of the Best
Gifts You Can Give Your Children
What parent doesn't want to give good gifts to their kids? But what kind of
gifts should they choose? Here are five of the best gifts you can give your
children...
A
Worshipping Christmas
This Christmas, and every Christmas, we need to be reminded that
Christ is the greatest gift and worship is the only proper response.
After all, worship was the response of every actor in the very first
Christmas drama.
Christ the Lord
The Christmas story is one of the most amazing moments in the Bible,
probably rivaled only by the crucifixion. It's the story of Christ's
birth, the moment when God took on human form.
The
Essential Message of Christmas by Greg Laurie
We need to remember the essential message of Christmas, which is
Immanuel—God is with us. And for the hurting person, the lonely
person, the sorrowing person, this is the time of year to bring the
gift of encouragement to them and say, "The message of Christmas is:
God will be with you. God will help you. God will strengthen you."
A Christmas
Journey
But the journey for the infant Jesus was much farther than 80 miles. He left His
place in heaven at God's right hand, came to earth, and accepted our humanity.
Eventually, He was stretched out on a cross to die, and He was buried in a
borrowed tomb.
The Truth of
the Nativity
We can't know Jesus if we don't understand He is real. The story of
His birth is no allegory. We dare not romanticize it or settle for a
fanciful legend that renders the whole story meaningless. Mary and
Joseph were real people. Their dilemma on finding no room at the inn
surely was as frightening for them as it would be for you or me.
What I
Want for Christmas
I have always believed in the promise of Christmas. There has always been
something special to me about this time of the year, going back to my earliest
days of childhood.
The Greatest Gift
of All
The real message of Christmas is not the gifts we give each other.
Rather, it is a reminder of the gift that God has given to each of
us. It is the only gift that truly keeps on giving, so I want to
point out four things about it.
An Undeserved
Gift
We generally don’t buy gifts for our enemies, do we? We don’t give a
gift to the person who has slandered us in the past year. We don’t
give a gift to the irate neighbor who never has a kind word to say.
We don’t give a gift to someone who has tried to run us out of
business.
Divine Gifts
Have you ever wondered why God gives so much? We could exist on far less. He
could have left the world flat and gray; we wouldn’t have known the difference.
But he didn’t.
The Gift of
Christ's Humility
Because He was fully human, Jesus cried just like any other baby.
And not only that, He poured out tears on numerous occasions because
He suffered in his humanity. He worked and He became weary, all
because He came in humility. And that’s what Christmas is really
about… the humility of Jesus Christ.
The
Audacity of Christmas by Mike Pohlman
Christmas marks the "fullness of time" when God, in
his sovereign freedom, "sent forth his Son." The One
who dispenses times and seasons determined that it
was time to send forth the Son who had existed with
the Father from eternity.
The Promise of Christmas by Greg Laurie
With Christmas, we have a sense of wonder, beauty, and anticipation.
We look forward to being with loved ones, family and friends, and
eating incredible food. It is a wonderful time of the year. It is
also a time that is marked, for the most part, by an absence of
meanness. There is a kindness that people will demonstrate toward
one another, even strangers.
A Son is Given by
Lasserre Bradley, Jr.
God’s judgment is just as terrible as his salvation is wonderful.
Nowhere is this made clearer than in the Isaiah 9, as the Lord
describes in vivid detail the impending doom that He will bring to
those who have continued in rebellion against Him.
It's All About
Him by Greg Laurie
This Jesus who was born in a manger, .., is not some mere historical figure, although He was that. He
is alive, and He is still in the business of changing lives.
That is the reason He came: to put us in touch with God, to forgive us of all of
our sins, and to give our lives purpose and meaning.
What does Jesus think
of Christmas?
by Marcus Honeysett
I asked a group of friends last week what they think of Christmas and got some
interesting answers and some slightly ironic ones. A Ghanaian lady said how
shocked she was when she arrived in the UK to find that Christmas involves
giving presents, but without any real thought about why.
Christmas Then and
Today
Christmas is about love that is, giving and giving sacrificially. It
is the blessed season that engages the world in a covenant of love.
True Seekers
The story of Christ’s birth is one of the Bible’s most famous and loved stories,
probably one that most people who are not even familiar with Scripture have
heard at one time or another. And certainly a story we hear repeated every
Christmas is the account of the wise men being led by the star to the place
where the King was to be born.
No Room in the Inn
It might be surprising to know that the majority of people missed the very first
Christmas as well. People just carried on with business as usual, paying no
attention to what was happening just a few feet away.
Do Not Be
Afraid
Have you ever felt overwhelmed or even afraid of what God has called
you to do? Maybe you were pursuing a dream or goal and things didn’t
turn out the way you planned. Joseph had planned to take Mary as his
wife, but when he found out she was pregnant, he didn’t know what to
think.
The
Focus Of Our Message
Never be sympathetic with a person whose situation causes you to
conclude that God is dealing harshly with him. God can be more
tender than we can conceive, and every once in a while He gives us
the opportunity to deal firmly with someone so that He may be viewed
as the tender One.
Are you ready to be
laid in the manger?
There are a lot of people around us who are without food, shelter,
clothes, and many other necessities. Are you ready to be laid in the
manger so that the needy can share your food, shelter, clothes etc.
Christmas in Heaven
On this holy night, in effect, heaven momentarily came to earth.
Heaven and earth are always co-existing, but sometimes they can seem
worlds apart and other times separated by only a thin veil.
Christmas Carols and Hymns
Christmas
Hymns in the Orthodox Church by Alexander A. Bogolepov
The observance of a special period of preparation before
the Feast of the Nativity of Christ has long been an
established part of Christian practice. In the Orthodox
Church this period is made up of the Christmas Fast and the
special days of preparation before Christmas itself, with
the week of the Holy Forefathers and the week of the Holy
Fathers.
Searching for Christmas
One Christmas night, Our
Lord came down into a modern city to see what people
were doing. Everyone was celebrating 'Happy
Holidays!'
How December 25 Became Christmas
The earliest mention of December 25 as Jesus' birthday comes from a
mid-fourth-century Roman almanac that lists the death dates of various Christian
bishops and martyrs. The first date listed, December 25, is marked: natus
Christus in Betleem Judeae: "Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea." ...
The True
Story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
A guy named Bob May,
depressed and brokenhearted, stared out his drafty
apartment window into the chilling December night.
His 4-year-old daughter, Barbara, sat on his lap
quietly sobbing. Bobs wife, Evelyn, was dying of
cancer.
Yes,
Virginia, There Is
Simply put, St. Nicholas was one of the great heroes of the faith, and worthy of
honor. Even during times when "saints" were less than celebrated, such as the
Reformation, Nicholas remained popular. ...
Silent Night
and The Christmas Truce -- Could it Work in our
Churches?
Perhaps those of us who celebrate the birth of the
Savior could learn a lesson from this Christmas
miracle as we engage those who do not share our
beliefs and faith in Jesus. Those on the other side
of the cultural trenches are not unlike us. The
message delivered in Bethlehem was peace and
goodwill toward all men.
Can Christmas Still Change the World?
Our giving should not be limited to family and
friends. This is the challenge of the Advent
Conspiracy: 'As poor people who have met with the
righteous wealth of God, it is now our turn to model
his generosity by sharing our wealth with those in
need.'
Inspirational Story: The Donkey
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The
trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up.
Inspirational Story: The Turtles
Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our
expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we don't
do anything ourselves.
Inspirational Story: The Pretty Lady
This very old Chinese Zen story reflects the thinking of many people
today. We encounter many unpleasant things in our life, they irritate us
and they make us angry. Sometimes, they cause us a lot of hurt, sometimes
they cause us to be bitter or jealous. But like the little monk, we are not
willing to let them go away.
Inspirational Story: The Frogs
Next time you hear somebody criticizing or making fun of you, remember,
it's probably just a couple of noisy frogs.
The Gift of the Magi
The classical Christmas Story of how
two lovers sacrificed their most precious possession for the other.
All the Good Things
Sr. Helen P. Mrosla's great story about
how simple things can mean a lot that can last a lifetime. It will be hard to
read this with dry eyes.
Where Love Is, God Is
Leo Tolstoy's story of how one cobbler
learned to recognize the presence of God.
A Gift from the Heart
Norman Vincent Peale's story of giving meaningful gifts. Very moving!
A Mother's Story
Love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no
judgment..
Classic Christmas
Hymn: Joy to the World! The Lord Is Come
Isaac Watts wrote "Joy to the World," the well-loved hymn often sung
during this busy Christmas season. Ironically, Watts simply intended to
paraphrase the words of Psalm 98: "Shout for joy to the Lord, all the
earth . . . for he comes. . ."
Articles
Ronald Reagan's Timeless
Christmas Gift
Although President Reagan could have spent his White House Christmases with
family at his beloved ranch in Santa Barbara, Calif., he instead stayed in
Washington, D.C. This way, his sacrifice allowed Secret Service agents and other
aides to spend Christmas at home with their families. ...
The Meaning of Christmas: Look Deeper
While Christmas is so familiar that we sometimes wonder whether anything fresh
and true can be said about it, there is a way to explore its meaning that may
seem new to us today, yet is in fact quite traditional, dating back to the
Middle Ages and the ancient Fathers of the Church. ...
The Day God Became a Baby
Have you ever met Jesus? He will change your life, too. One of the ways you can
tell is that you will be telling everyone you meet that your life is different.
When was the last time you acted as one of those shepherds and informed everyone
you know that you met Jesus and things are different in your life? ...
Jesus Came to Destroy Something
The people who will experience the fullest meaning of Christmas on Tuesday are
the people who know and feel that there is something in them that needs to be
destroyed. It is true, as John said (John 3:17), that "God sent the Son into the
world not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved."
But he saves by destroying...
Saved by
Christmas
The consequence of our misguided reliance on man and ignoring God and the
reality of God's outstretched helping hand is embodied in the story of a young
boy from the streets of a nameless city in an unknown country. ...
The
Gospel According to Mary by Michael Horton
It is into this world of competing kings and their kingdoms that we discover an
obscure girl in an equally obscure part of the world, who receives the most
extraordinary announcement and becomes the first evangelist of the new covenant.
Faith-filled Women (Luke 1.39-56) by Robert Austell
I want to look with you at the content of what
Elizabeth had to say and then what Mary had to say,
then challenge ourselves to step it up a notch… to
risk a move towards spiritual depth in our
conversations and relationships. Christmas is the
perfect time to take this on, as it is natural to
think and speak of Jesus and God's involvement in
our lives.
The Nativity of Christ - Christmas Day - What Can We
Learn From the ICON?
This is not only the icon of the Birth of Christ, it is also the icon of the
Burial and the Resurrection of Christ. The present and the future come together
here. The swaddling clothes resemble the burial shroud, the cave resembles the
tomb, from where Christ rose.
Wondering About Christmas by Dr. Joe McKeever
Have you ever wondered what those shepherds and
their flocks were doing outside in the open in the
dead of night? How many sermons have we heard over
the years describing how shepherds put their sheep
inside the shelter at night, and then lay down
across the door opening, giving illustration to our
Lord's teaching that "I am the door of the sheep."
Christmas Disappointments
Millions of people in this world do not know the reason, the reality, or the
result of the First Christmas when God's Son, our Savior, arrived on this planet
at a stable in Bethlehem. They do not know Jesus.
Christmas - Here
It Comes Again Right On Schedule!
One of the reasons the Luke 2 passage is so
well-loved is that it nails down the time-frame when
these things occurred. The birth of Jesus Christ is
historical, it is factual, it is well-documented and
reliable. It occurred at a real place in real time.
How God
Fooled Satan At Christmas
The Apostle Paul pointed out that had Satan known
what God was up to, he would never have crucified
Jesus. One might say that God pulled the wool over
the devil's eyes and fooled him.
A Lenten 'Weight Loss' Program by Gary Zimak
Let’s face it, we are all weighed down to some extent by selfishness and
assorted vices. Given a choice, very few of us will choose suffering over
comfort. The Church gives us the season of Lent to examine our souls and
remove the extra "weight" that keeps us apart from the Lord. Here are five
simple steps that you can use during Lent to identify and eliminate some of this
excess "poundage" from your life.
Lenten Reflections: LENT as FEAST and FAST
Lent is more than just a giving up.
It is giving… developing a greater love towards God,
self and others.
LENT can be a FEAST AND A FAST.
One Man's Advent
Reflection
In Holy Tradition, with many local variations, the celebration of
the Christmas season lasts for 12 days, from the Feast of the Holy
Nativity until the celebration of the visit of the Three Kings or
Wise Men from the East and the celebration of Christ's baptism in
the Jordon.
Where was Jesus Born?
Where was Jesus born? We all agree it was in Bethlehem. Where
exactly was it? We believe it was in a cave.
Swaddling
Righteousness
Here we have the Son of God become the son of a virgin. The one who
swaddled the stars with darkness (Job 38.9) is now swaddled in cloth
as a baby. This is such mind bending, heart melting truth! Christ,
the Lord God, becomes a man, and dwells among us.
The God In The
Cave
Jesus was born in a cave. He was buried in a cave also. In both
cases, there was Joseph and Mary besides him. What is the symbolism
of the two events that shaped Christianity?
The Sign
of the Swaddling Clothes
Our God bound himself, he allowed himself to be bound by men, that
men might be free of sin! We can only join those who have given us
our beloved Christmas Carols.
The Lost
Glory of Christmas Caroling
If Christmas caroling once had
inexplicable experience of the coming down of Heaven on earth, it
has now been apparently reversed to the ascension of hell on earth
because it is a money-collecting techniques used by irreligious and
agnostic population of the entire global mass that carol under the
influence of liquor and other hard drugs.
My Reservations on Christmas Caroling
If everybody wants to have caroling which involves acts
of pleasures before Christmas, what is the point in having a
'Lent' prior to Christmas?
Reality of Christmas Today
As the clock strikes midnight, everyone gathers around the Christmas tree to
celebrate the holiday with joyful greetings and gifts. Time passes away swiftly
with all the excitement. And once everyone is in bed, a few hours later, the
alarm sounds. It’s time to go to church for Christmas service in the early
morning. Why go? What happens anyway?
The Jesus of Christmas: Who was the
baby in the manger?
So who was the baby in the manger? The answer to that question is the most
important one in all history. For if Jesus was not who he claimed to be, his
promise of eternal peace is empty. But if Jesus was who he claimed to be, then
our lives can have no meaning without him.
Christmas - A Unique
Festival of Message of Hope and Light
Every festival brings in its festive train a central message, and that exactly
is the content and significance of the feast. Christmas brings the evergreen
message of the arrival of the Son of God as one among us, to be with us for
ever.
Christmas Message - 2003
Christmas brings to our mind the supreme
sacrifice of God, an action on the part of God to liberate Man from the
clutches of sin, to give him freedom, to restore the peace and happiness
mankind lost when it alienated itself from God.
Our Most Meaningful
Christmas Gift by Dennis and Barbara Rainey
A few years ago we were asked, "What is the most memorable Christmas gift you've
ever given or received?" Instantly our minds raced backwards over invisible
tracks and skidded to a stop at the same intersection: Our first Christmas
together as a couple, in 1972.
A Simple Approach To The Season Christmas is just a few weeks away. So often what is meant to be a celebration of hope and promise becomes one of frantic preparation and frazzled nerves. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Let the Holidays Be
Though the holiday season is supposed to be a time of celebration and love, it often brings with it stress and anxiety beyond what we experience during the other ten months of the year.
Parents - Give Gifts That Will Keep On Giving Many well meaning parents will buy gifts this season for their kids and teens that may be on one of the hot toy lists but lack true play value. Child psychologist, Dr Bob Myers provides tips for parents on holiday gift giving and toy safety.
Holiday Intentions
It seems that stress is often more prevalent than joy during the holidays. These ideas in this article can help you experience anew the joy and meaning of the season while leaving the frustrations behind.
Six Tips For Surviving the “Holidaze”
As the holiday season rushes towards moms like a Mack truck on ice, here are
some tips on how to survive this hectic season and actually enjoy the holidays.
The Top Ten Worst Gifts from Last Christmas
Figuring out what people actually want eludes many well meaning people every Christmas. To help gift-givers give wisely,
here is a list of “what not to give.”
Anatomy of a Bad-Gift Giver
From procrastinators to re-gifters, there are many types of bad gift-givers. Here are some of the most common bad-gift faux pas and how to avoid them.
Enjoy The Holidays Without Gaining Weight
It's that festive time again & also one of the toughest times to maintain your weight and stay fit. If you aren't careful, this wonderful time of year can be overshadowed by weight gain and stress. Learn valuable tips to stay fit during the holidays.
Holiday Memories Rest On Traditions
For most people, holiday seasons bring with them warm memories from years past. Traditions are the stuff those memories are built on, and each family has its own special tradition that comes either from the long ago past or has been built in just one or two generations.
Overcoming Loneliness this Christmas
There are many people who will be alone on Christmas day, so don't think that you are the only one, or that you are in any way a failure if you find yourself without company at this time.
There are a number of things that you can do to make the day more pleasant for yourself.
The 12 Birds of Christmas The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is joyful for some people and stressful for others. If you begin to feel pressured by a need to give just the right gift or the perfect holiday meal, perhaps these commonsensical birds of Christmas will re-mind you to peaceful balance.
Six Steps to Happier Holidays!
Follow these simple steps
to prepare for the holiday season: Get organized, create an spending strategy
and a "pay" plan, shop early and take advantage of sales, get creative when
gift-giving and do an inventory of what you need to make it through the
often hectic holidays. Being prepared ensures less stress and a happier
holiday
season.
The Christmas Dress
A great story from the childhood at the farm. The author recognizes
the reason she had so much love for her elder sister. It was not because she sewed clothes for
her. And not because she wasn’t angry when the author spilled pins all over the floor or chattered non-stop when she was trying to concentrate.
But because, no matter what, the author knew that her big sister always had time for
her.
Gifts Kids Can Make
‘Tis the season for gift giving! This holiday season, teach children that giving is as fun as receiving by having them create their own holiday gifts.
Santa
on a Shoestring
According to a recent survey, American families intend to spend an average
of $483 on gifts this Christmas. To help keep the costs down this
Christmas season, Sue Hannah offers some money-saving gift ideas.
Making the Holidays More Meaningful
Have the holidays become too commercial for you? Are you feeling empty and unfulfilled during this time of the year? This year by making some simple changes you and your children can truly make the holidays more meaningful.
A New Way to Use Old Snapshots
Instead of letting your snapshots take up space and contribute to the clutter in your home, use them to make collages (at a cost of less than $10 each) that you can give as Christmas gifts to family and friends. Here's
how.
10 Creative Ways to Give from the Heart, Not the Pocketbook
Meaningful gift giving doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, some of the
most precious gifts are the ones that cost very little, but mean a great deal
because of the time and effort the giver took in giving the gift.
Silent Night
A great way to celebrate holidays that brings the meaning and joy back.
Let’s Do Something Different For the Holidays This Year!
Each year, for too many of us, the holiday season just doesn’t live up to our expectations. Instead of joy, it brings stress; instead of peace, it brings tension; instead of love, it brings animosity. This holiday, let’s do something different.
The
Silence of God by Nathan Betts
Zechariah's silence is a symbol of God's salvation.
John's life was spent concentrated on preparing
people for Christ, the means by which people could
be saved. But before John came, the Lord visited his
father through Gabriel, telling Zechariah that He
had heard his prayer, and was going to rescue his
people ...
The
ABC's of Christmas by Dr. Ray Pritchard
There is a verse that for me sums up the real meaning of Christmas better than
any verse in the Bible. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his
poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9). That sentence sums up the great
truth behind Jesus' birth....
God Has Come So Near to Each One of Us by Pope
Benedict XVI
The desire that all of us have in our hearts is that, in the midst of the
frenetic activity of our days, the coming feast of Christmas gives us serene and
profound joy to enable us to touch the goodness of our God with our hands and to
fill us with new energy. ...
Getting Christmas Right by Brian Evans
Christmas is about the gift God gave His people. His
people were in spiritual bondage and were crying out
with no hope and God answered…In this sermon, the
author walks through old testament and the promises
fulfilled by God by the birth of Jesus.
Getting Christmas Right - Isaiah 9 (Part 2) by Brian
Evans
Have you ever trusted in the wrong thing? Have you ever trusted in someone only
to be disappointed, betrayed, and even severely hurt? The Book of Isaiah is all
about a people who were placing their trust in the wrong thing. We must be very
careful that our hope is not placed in people, even ones who look to be trust
worthy.
Christmas as the End of History by John Piper
The author show in this sermon how God's work in
history comes to a climax—and in a sense comes to an
end—in the coming of his one and only eternal and
divine Son into the world. It is a fascinating story
of redemption.
Homily - The
Nativity of the Lord by Fr. Daren J. Zehnle
Can there be anything more vulnerable or defenseless than a newborn child? Yet
it is precisely this that the Son of God becomes for us to manifest the depth of
his great love.
Homily - Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord
Tonight I wish to focus on the statue of St. Joseph
as a way to come to a deeper understanding of the
mystery of Christmas. Take a look at this Joseph, if
you will.
Christmas
Homily by Fr. Andrew
Which Christmas scene do our hearts desire? Do our hearts desire the soft, the
quiet, the hidden scene of Bethlehem? Do our hearts desire the loud, the brash,
the bold proclamation of the field? Where would God have us meet Him?
Homily: The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord by
Fr. Daren J. Zehnle
This night a savior is born for us, he who is
Emmanuel (cf. Matthew 1:23). God is with us! He is
not far from us, but here in our midst. The Creator
of all things has made himself a creature and
entered his creation. This is a message that cannot
leave us indifferent.
Homily: At the Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord
Jesus Christ by Fr. Daren J. Zehnle
Bethlehem, the city of David in which Jesus was born, means "house of bread."
Jesus, the Bread of Life, was placed in a manger, a feeding trough for the
animals. Through the Holy Mass he gives himself to us continually as our food,
to be nourished and strengthened by him who gave himself for us.
Homily - The Nativity of the Lord, at the Vigil Mass
by Fr. Daren J. Zehnle
As we wait here in vigil in the darkness of the night, we "know that the Lord is
coming to save us, and in the morning [we] shall see his glory" (Exodus 16:6-7).
We await the birth of the one who is mightier than the last of the prophets (cf.
Matthew 3:11); we await the birth of "Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of
Abraham" (Matthew 1:1).
Homily:
Christmas Vigil by Fr. Andrew
What is the true meaning of Christmas? Is it found in cookies? Is it found in
trees? Is it found in gifts? What is the true meaning of Christmas?
The true meaning of Christmas is in cookies, for they remind us of the sweetness
of our Lord.
Celebrate The Lord by Alan Carr (Mary Visits
Elizabeth)
We are indebted to Mary. We owe her a debt of
gratitude for reminding us that whether it is for
personal grace, favors for others, or for those
times when the Lord proves Himself faithful in the
lives of His children, we have a God who is worthy
of faith, love, praise and worship.
John Chrysostom Homily on Matthew 1:17-21 "So all the generations from Abraham to David
are fourteen generations, and from David until the
carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations,
and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ
are fourteen generations."
John Chrysostom Homily on Matthew 1:22-23
"Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet, saying,
Behold, a Virgin shall be with child, and shall
bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name
Emmanuel."
John Chrysostom Homily on Matthew 2:1-2
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the
days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men
from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that
is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star
in the east, and have come to worship Him.
John Chrysostom Homily on Matthew 2:4-10
And when he had gathered all the chief priests and
scribes of the people together, he demanded of them
where Christ should be born. And they said unto him,
in Bethlehem of Judæa.
The King Fulfills Prophecy: Bible Study on Matthew
2:13-15 by John MacArthur
Matthew, as we know by now, is presenting Jesus
Christ as the King. Presenting Jesus Christ not only
as the King but as the King of Kings, not only as
the King of Kings but as the anointed of God.
The King Fulfills Prophecy, Bible Study of Matthew
2:16-23 by John MacArthur
The central theme of all Old Testament prophecy is
the coming King, the coming King who will rule in
God's promised kingdom. If there is one major
emphasis of all Old Testament prophecy it is that
God is going to set up His rule, God is going to
have a kingdom like no other kingdom has ever been,
and there will be a very special individual who will
be the King in that kingdom, and that individual of
course is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ
Himself.
We
Have Come to Worship Him by John Piper
There are at least five truths that Matthew wants us to see in this story about
Christ and worship 1) Jesus is the Messiah, the King of the Jews. 2) Jesus is to be worshiped not just by Jews, but by all the
nations of the world. 3) God
wields the universe to make his Son known and worshiped. 4) Jesus is troubling to
people who do not want to worship him. 5) Worshiping Jesus means joyfully ascribing authority and dignity to Christ
with sacrificial gifts.
John's Profound Prologue: The Mystery of Christmas
by The Rev. Charles Henrickson
If there were a contest for the most profound
passage in the Bible, John's Prologue (John 1:1-18)
might win the prize. Nowhere are the most profound
mysteries of the Christian faith expressed more
deeply, and yet more simply, than here in this
passage. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity; the
doctrine of the person of Christ, his dual nature;
the work of Christ, by which we are saved--all of
these are caught and captured in the simplest of
language, brief and succinct, and yet never to be
fully plumbed in their depth.
The
Birth of Christ
In the Garden of Eden, Satan proclaimed the message, 'You shall be as God, knowing good and evil.' The
Christmas message, however, teaches us not man becoming God, but God becoming
man. This is the wonder of Christmas.
Is There A Place for Jesus in Your Home? by The
Patriarchal Journal
Where is the greatness of Jesus, oh angel Gabriel?
Where is his kingdom? Where is his throne? Yes, his
kingdom is not of this world. So, even though the
priests and rulers of this earth ignored his
existence, the heavens gave him glory and the angel
brought the good news of his birth to the simple
shepherds saying to them, "‘Do not be afraid; for
see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all
the people: to you is born this day in the city of
David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord."
My Favorite Christmas Verse by Dr. Joe McKeever
It should go without saying that the angels from
Heaven know a lot more than you or I do. And when
Jesus was born in Bethlehem and they brought the
announcement to the shepherds on a dark hillside
nearby, they identified Jesus as 'a Savior.'
Ten Things About the Christmas Story You May Have
Missed by Dr. Joe McKeever
They were not "kings" from the east and there weren't three of them. And when
they arrived in Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary and Baby Jesus were not still in the
stable, but in a house, contrary to half the Christmas cards that will be
arriving at your house.
The Announcement of
Jesus' Birth, Part 1 by John MacArthur
In Luke 2:11 it says, "There has been born for you a
Savior." There has been born for you a Savior...that
is the high note of this entire passage. The
shepherds and the angels are bit players, as it
were, in the scenario in which the Savior who has
been born is the main character. There has been born
for you a Savior. This is the greatest news the
world has ever heard. This is the good news.
The Announcement
of Jesus' Birth, Part 2 by John MacArthur
The beautiful old Christmas carol asks the question, "What
child is this who laid to rest on Mary's lap is sleeping?"
And, of course, that is the real question. Who is the baby
in Bethlehem born at first so anonymously to anonymous
Joseph and Mary as far as any public knowledge was
concerned? Who is this child whose birth established the
world's calendars? Who is this child more widely known than
any other child ever born? Who is this child whose life and
work has impacted more souls than all other influential
people in history combined?
The Announcement
of Jesus' Birth, Part 3 by John MacArthur
Jesus saves you from the eternal wrath of God, that's the
issue. It's not that Jesus saves you from anything in this
life in particular. You may still struggle through all kinds
of troubles and struggles and you may still have a measure
of unfulfillment. You may even find life to be less than you
want it to be in this world, more painful than you can bear.
There's no guarantee that that will change in this life.
Fulfillment: God is Here by John Jewell
Our Scripture today speaks of a gift that is one of a kind
-- and it is a gift that also goes beyond anything the world
could every offer. A never to be repeated, amazing gift of
God to every one who will receive it. It is the gift of John
3:16, the most memorized verse in the Christian world:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so
that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may
have eternal life."
Heavenly Peace
by Pastor Gavin
The book of Micah is an important book, for it prophesied the coming
Savior who would bring about a world of peace. And yet, when we look
at the world since Jesus came, I have a hard time seeing the peace
that was prophesied.
Angel Song by Pastor
Gavin I wonder what the shepherds were doing or thinking on that night… perhaps they
were sleeping… perhaps one of them had had a really bad day. But the angels came
and changed everything in just a moment. And their lives did change in a
powerful way, even though they might not have realized it instantly.
For
to us a child is born: Isaiah 9:1-7
Notice how the language is couched in the past tense. As Alec Motyer points out,
the future is so certain, it is written as something which has
already happened. It is as if Isaiah were saying, "Look forward to
it. It is certain. He has already done it"
The Great Birthday by C. H. Spurgeon
The shepherds were keeping their flocks by night. Probably a calm, peaceful night, wherein they felt the usual difficulty
of keeping their weary eyelids open as sleep demanded its due of them. All of a sudden, to their amazement, a
mighty blaze lit up the heavens and turned midnight into midday!
God Incarnate, the
End of Fear by C. H. Spurgeon
"Fear not." Let God no longer be the object of your slavish dread!
Stand not at a distance from Him any more. The Word is made flesh.
God has descended to tabernacle among men, that there may be no
hedge of fire, no yawning gulf between God and man.
The Star
and the Wise Men by C. H. Spurgeon
This star is put in commission to wait upon the Lord, to be his
herald to men afar off, his usher to conduct them to his presence,
and his body-guard to sentinel his cradle. Earth, too, is stirred.
Shepherds have come to pay the homage of simple-minded ones: with
all love and joy they bow before the mysterious child; and after
them from afar come the choice and flower of their generation, the
most studious minds of the age.
The First Christmas
Carol by Rev. C. H. Spurgeon
Their song was brief, but as Kitto excellently remarks, it was "well worthy of angels expressing the greatest and most blessed truths, in words
so few, that they become to an acute apprehension, almost oppressive by the pregnant fullness
of their meaning"—"Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good
will toward men."
Who
Were the Wise Men? by John MacArthur
Who were the wise men? Are you ready for that? Matthew chapter 2. All of us have
wondered. How
many were there? Were they really kings? Did they really ride camels? Why did
they come to Bethlehem?
Fools and Wise
Men, Part 1 by John MacArthur
As we view
the text I want you to see five acts in this incredible drama that is played
out in chapter 2. Five separate acts. And we'll just title them with a simple
word so we'll remember them, arrival, that's act one. Number two, agitation.
Number three, acting. Number four, adoration, and number five avoidance. Now
that's not a very brilliant outline but it's just a few hooks to hang your
thoughts on.
Fools and Wise
Men, Part 2 by John MacArthur
There was one of those Jews who rose to a place of great prominence, Daniel. Daniel, it says in Daniel 5:11, became the chief of
the Magi, and no doubt this great prophet of God told them about the coming
King, so they were ready for this, they were looking and through the centuries
waiting for this great individual to arrive on the scene, and they had passed
down this information and when the time came they were ready to see Him as King,
to recognize it.
Worship Christ, the
New-Born King by Brian Evans
What is your response to King Jesus? Have you rejected Him like Herod? Have you
neglected Him like the scribes and priests? Have you worshipped Him like the
Magi? The Magi came with a purpose. They searched diligently for the King of
Kings and they came prepared. They brought gifts and were anticipating their
meeting. This is a challenge for us to come to worship prepared.
Christ,
Our Peacemaker by Ralph Bouma
The blessed gospel proclaimed from heaven by the angel was a message
of peace, peace on earth and good will to men. Outside of Christ
there is no peace, but God sent His blessed message of peace. As the
result of sin, man has become the enemy of God, separated from God,
but He has sent His own Son to make peace.
The Shaking Of The
Nations by Ralph Bouma
In His sovereign good pleasure, the God of heaven sent His angel to gather with
a heavenly host to proclaim in Luke 2:14: “Glory to God in the highest, and on
earth peace, good will toward men.” Why was this such a proclamation of joy? It
is because the peace between God and fallen man had been broken.
The Day God Became a
Baby
Have you ever met Jesus? He will change your life, too. One of the ways you can
tell is that you will be telling everyone you meet that your life is different.
When was the last time you acted as one of those shepherds and informed everyone
you know that you met Jesus and things are different in your life?
Sermon for Christmas Day by Rev. Dr. V Kurian Thomas
Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ who is the son of God
and savior of all people. With the birth of Jesus Christ, Christianity
essentially begins. Thus, Christmas also celebrates the beginning of
Christianity.
Christmas
Message - Where Do You Belong? by Rev. Fr. K. K. John
A true Christian is not the one who lives according to his/her own
whims and fancies but the one, who lives Christ-like. Mere interest
in certain rituals and obedience to a system or hierarchy profits
none; one must reflect Christian virtues and that is hardest of all.
What are we searching
for?
by H.G. Yuhanon Mor Meletius
This was the beginning of a new chapter in the history of
humanity guided by God. God initiated the history of the world in creation
hoping that it will steadily progress in the manner God wanted it to be. But
human, with his greed, set the pace in a distorted direction. What God wanted was
a history of humans in participation with God.
Devotional Thoughts for Christmas Day
by Jose Kurian Puliyeril
From the Holy Scriptures we learn that the humanity as a whole from
the time of the first parents had been in the expectation of the
Savior and at the time of incarnation of our Lord and Savior, they
had an expectation about a Ruler who might be the King of Israel.
The Nativity Sermon
by Saint John Chrysostom
All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead herein... on earth and
man in heaven. He who is above now, for our salvation, dwells here below; and
we, who were lowly, are exalted by divine mercy! Today Bethlehem resembles heaven, hearing from the stars the singing of angelic
voices and, in place of the sun, witnessing the rising of the Sun of Justice!
Homily on Gal. 4:4-7
for the Nativity of Christ
It is so easy for us to lose sight of Christ in the
frenzy that surrounds Christmas. Now we are finally here, in Church.
All our preparations are complete. Let us pause now, and as we
celebrate the birth of the Son of God 2000 years ago, let us think
about some of the other preparations we have made.
Sermons on
the Feast of the Nativity of Christ
by St. Leo the Great
The Word of God, Himself God, the Son of God who "in the beginning with God," through whom "all things were made" and "without" whom "was nothing made," with the purpose of delivering man from eternal death, became man: The true God and true man were combined to form one Lord, so that, as suited the needs of our case, one and the same Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, could both die with the one and rise again with the other.
The festival of
Christ's birthday
by St. Gregory Nazianzos
Again the darkness is past; again Light is made; again Egypt is
punished with darkness; again Israel is enlightened by a pillar. The
people that sat in the darkness of ignorance, let it see the Great
Light of full knowledge. Old things are passed away, behold all
things are become new.
Meditation for
Christmas
The shepherds said one to another, 'Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see
this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.' Let
us, too, go even to Bethlehem In spins, let us climb that hill 'unto the hills,
from whence cometh my help'. Climbing up to Bethlehem implies an effort; but
shall we let such a great occasion slip by?
More Sermons, Homilies, Bible
Commentaries and Gospel Analysis of Advent
