[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