Topic > Biblical Studies > Life of Jesus > Jesus Birth >
Good News!
World news bombards us from the Internet, television, radio and mobile devices. The majority seems to describe what’s wrong – crime, terrorism, war and economic woes. Yet there are times when good news invades the darkest hours of sadness and despair – stories of unselfish acts, a medical breakthrough or steps toward peace in war-scarred places.
The words of two men recorded in the Old Testament of the Bible brought great hope to people weary of conflict.
While describing God’s coming judgment on a ruthless and powerful nation, Nahum said, “Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good…
Looking at Jesus’s family tree
You know, for many, it’s a tradition to read the Christmas story aloud at family Christmas celebrations. But most of the time we skip over the loooong genealogy that precedes it in Matthew’s telling of the story! Well, today the Discover the Word team will be looking at Jesus’s family tree for a very important […]
Editor’s Picks: Top 5 Articles | Giving
In a matter of weeks—or even days—streets will be lined with dazzling displays, shops will be brimming with holiday gifts and Christmas carols will reverberate through the air. For many of us, it’s a welcome change.
The View from 400 Miles
“My perspective on earth changed dramatically the very first time I went into space,” says Space Shuttle astronaut Charles Frank Bolden Jr. From four hundred miles above the earth, all looked peaceful and beautiful to him. Yet Bolden recalled later that as he passed over the Middle East, he was “shaken into reality” when he considered the ongoing conflict there. During an interview with film producer Jared Leto, Bolden spoke of that moment as a time when he saw the earth with a sense of how it ought to be—and then sensed a challenge to do all he could to…
Mystery of the Manger
Explore how the books of Matthew and Mark deepen and illuminate the mystery of God in the manger.
Jesus changes everything!
If we just had the Old Testament and not the New, how would your view of God be different? Well, today on Discover the Word, the group will discuss how Jesus’s coming to earth changed everything, putting on full display what there was only a glimpse of before He came. A revealing conversation the group has […]
The women in Christ’s family tree
Jesus often startled people with unexpected and controversial actions. So it’s no wonder that even His heritage, listed in the book of Matthew, holds some surprises as well. Today, former “Discover the Word” hosts Haddon Robinson and Alice Mathews conclude a week-long dialogue with Dr. Kenneth Bailey about the women in Christ’s family tree. It’s from a classic “Discover the Word” episode that you won’t want to miss.
His only Son
Today on “Discover the Word,” we celebrate Christmas and wind up the series “For God So Loved.” The chapter with the Bible’s most familiar verse has provided the context for our conversations for Christmas this year. John 3:16 of course gives us the reason why Jesus came, but you’ll discover the surprising way John chapter 3 concludes when you join us today on “Discover the Word”!
A Fragile Gift
When we give a fragile gift, we make sure it is marked on the box that contains it. The word fragile is written with big letters because we don’t want anyone to damage what is inside.
God’s gift to us came in the most fragile package: a baby. Sometimes we imagine Christmas day as a beautiful scene on a postcard, but any mother can tell you it wasn’t so. Mary was tired, probably insecure. It was her first child, and He was born in the most unsanitary conditions. She “wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because…
Celebrate the light of the world
Have you ever noticed how lights are such a major part of celebrating Christmas? Well, today on “Discover the Word,” we will discuss a verse in John chapter 3 that talks about light and darkness and will make a memorable connection to all the lights you’ll be exposed to on this Christmas Eve. Celebrate the coming of the Light of the world with the group, today on “Discover the Word”!
Into This Darkness
Darkness. The world was in darkness. But we knew the Light was coming because God promised His arrival. Suddenly, one night so long ago, He came bursting into our world as a baby. And just like the morning sun, He overcame the dark of night and gave us hope.
Why Christmas Doesn’t Make Sense
No, seriously. Nothing much about Christmas makes sense, when you think about it. Here’s why:
For God So Loved
In ancient Jewish culture, the first-born son held a very special place in family dynamics. So it got Nicodemus’ attention when Jesus told him that God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son. Join the group today on “Discover the Word” as they begin Week 2 of their series on the chapter of the Bible that contains its most familiar verse, “For God So Loved.”
Christmas: Not Just Another Celebration
I have always lived in countries that have only two seasons: dry and wet. So to me, December has always been about Christmas and cool, rainy days, making it the best time of the year.
The Seventh Stanza
In the summer of 1861, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s wife, Frances, died tragically in a fire. That first Christmas without her, he wrote in his diary, “How inexpressibly sad are the holidays.” The next year was no better, as he recorded, “ ‘A merry Christmas,’ say the children, but that is no more for me.”
In 1863, as the American Civil War was dragging on, Longfellow’s son joined the army against his father’s wishes and was critically injured. On Christmas Day that year, as church bells announced the arrival of another painful Christmas, Longfellow picked up his pen and began to write,…
