In the first post in this series, I asked you to consider the first five words that came to mind when you heard the word “Christmas”. In that post, I linked to some online articles that suggest the words most associated with Christmas. Those articles listed hundreds of words, but not the one word IContinue reading “How Christmas is all about love – Advent Love, Part 3”
Tag Archives: incarnation
Does evil and suffering in the world negate a loving, all-powerful God? – Q & A, Part 3
This week we take a break from our Relationships in the Church series. At Faith Church this past week I gave a Q & A sermon. I asked the congregation for questions ahead of time, and then I attempted to bring biblical theology to bear on their questions. Here’s the next question: As Christians, howContinue reading “Does evil and suffering in the world negate a loving, all-powerful God? – Q & A, Part 3”
What is the Word of God? – Sword of the Spirit, Part 2
Typically we Christians equate the word of God with the Bible. And we Christians do believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, as Paul writes to his young ministry partner Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed.” Certainly, God has communicated his word in other ways as well. We readContinue reading “What is the Word of God? – Sword of the Spirit, Part 2”
What we can learn from Jesus weeping – John 11:1-45, Part 4
Martha’s brother, Lazarus, still dead. Martha believes Jesus can do something about it because he is the promised Messiah, the bringer of life. But instead of pleading with Jesus, Martha now goes to find her sister, Mary. In John 11, verses 28-37, we read about the result of the sisters’ conversation. “And after she hadContinue reading “What we can learn from Jesus weeping – John 11:1-45, Part 4”
Hope for those in darkness – Christmas 2022, Part 3
Where do we find light in this dark world? Where do we find hope? Sometime people seek answers in harmful ways and places. They seek answers by indulging in the pleasures of life, or in addictive substances. Could be in social media, pornography, or television. All kinds of entertainment. We try to bring light intoContinue reading “Hope for those in darkness – Christmas 2022, Part 3”
The problem and solution of God’s invisibility – John 1:1-18, Part 5
How many of you wish that God were visible? How many of you wish that you could just have a little miracle of Jesus showing up at your doorstep to give you some reassurance that he is right there? How many of you look back at some of the miracles recorded in the Bible andContinue reading “The problem and solution of God’s invisibility – John 1:1-18, Part 5”
The identity of The Word in… – John 1:1-18, Part 4
Who was God in the skin? In our study of John 1:1-18, we learned in the previous post that John writes in verse 14 that God, who John calls The Word, took on human skin. But John hasn’t told us yet who The Word is, so let me introduce another word. God in the skinContinue reading “The identity of The Word in… – John 1:1-18, Part 4”
Does your body have a soul? – Honest Advent Week 4, Part 3
Does the body have a soul? Let’s talk about that. As we continue learning about embodiment during this fourth week of Advent, while we’re focusing on our physical or material side, what about the spiritual or immaterial side of humanity? Religion tends to emphasize the spiritual side. What we’ve been learning, though, is that ChristiansContinue reading “Does your body have a soul? – Honest Advent Week 4, Part 3”
Christmas and the abortion debate – Honest Advent Week 4, Part 2
Yesterday I mentioned that Christmas has a significant connection to the abortion debate. How so? Consider what we read in Psalm 139:13-16a, where the Old Testament King and Poet, David, writes: “13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully andContinue reading “Christmas and the abortion debate – Honest Advent Week 4, Part 2”
Christianity is not a purely spiritual faith – Honest Advent Week 4, Part 1
Our is an embodied faith. The opposite of this is the view that says ours is a purely spiritual faith. But Christianity is not a purely spiritual faith. Does that sound odd or wrong? Let me say it again. Christianity is not a purely spiritual faith. Upon hearing that some might think, “What are youContinue reading “Christianity is not a purely spiritual faith – Honest Advent Week 4, Part 1”
Engaging Scripture 