[Mel Lawrenz is Minister at Large at Elmbrook Church and directs The Brook Network. ] Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. –Luke 2:11 Some people think that “Christ” is Jesus’ last name. Jesus Christ, like Joe Johnson or Audrey Smith. If you have […]
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. – Luke 2:7 Sometimes a name is just a name, and sometimes a name captures someone perfectly. The ancients inclined to choose names carefully, so as to make a lifelong
She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. – Luke 2:7 (More on Facebook.) Where is the first place a baby is placed after it emerges from the mother’s womb? Today we use hyper-sterilized blankets and sanitized cribs. A Plexiglas dome, if
This is day 7 in the Christmas devotional “Christmas Joy.” Christmas Joy as Kindle book HERE. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will
This is post #6 in the Christmas devotional Christmas Joy. Receive Christmas Joy via email. This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband
This is post #5 in the Christmas devotional “Christmas Joy.” And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby keeping watch over their flocks at night. – Luke 2:8 It may seem like a stretch of the imagination, but try it anyway: If you were God, and could announce the arrival of the savior
This is post #4 in the Christmas devotional “Christmas Joy.” God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored!
An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” – Luke 2:13-14
This is the first post in the devotional “Christmas Joy.” But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” – Luke 2:10-11
Hundreds of millions of people will be preparing for Christmas in the days to come. But how will we prepare our hearts and minds? Thought for today: The Christmas carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem” mentions “the hopes and fears of all the years.” The coming (“advent”) of Jesus strengthens our hope and gives us
After Christmas, new articles in The Brook Letter by Mel Lawrenz: sign up. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. –Luke 2:20 At the birth of Jesus, amidst the dirt and straw of a stable, millennia of promises, prophecies,
Learn how “Spiritual Influence” works. Take the survey now! While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born. – Luke 2:6 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,
This is post #23 in the Christmas devotional “Christmas Joy.”Read more devotionals by Mel Lawrenz. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen
After Christmas, new articles in The Brook Letter by Mel Lawrenz: sign up. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. – Luke 2:30-32 The winter solstice on December 21, the darkest day