Topic > Biblical Studies
Christmas Presence
“No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.” Those words from Phillips Brooks’ much-loved hymn, “O Little Town of Bethlehem” point to the very heart of Christmas. Jesus came into our broken world to rescue us from our sin and give all who would put their faith in Him a new and vital relationship with God.
In a letter to a friend decades after he wrote the hymn, Brooks poignantly described the outcome of this relationship in his own life: “I cannot tell you how…
Led by His Word
At the BBC in London, Paul Arnold’s first broadcasting job was making “walking sounds” in radio dramas. While actors read from scripts during a walking scene, Paul as stage manager made corresponding sounds with his feet—careful to match his pace to the actor’s voice and spoken lines. The key challenge, he explained, was yielding to the actor in the story, “so the two of us were working together.”
A divine version of such cooperation was sought by the author of Psalm 119, which emphasizes living by the precepts of God’s Word. As Psalm 119:1 says: “Blessed are those whose ways are…
Growing into Giving
“I got you a present!” my two-year-old grandson shouted excitedly as he pressed a box into my hands. “He picked it out all by himself,” my wife smiled.
I opened the box to find a Christmas ornament of his favorite cartoon character. “Can I see it?” he asked anxiously, as soon as I unwrapped it. He played with “my” present for the rest of the evening and as I watched him, I smiled.
I smiled because I remembered gifts I had given loved ones in the past, like the album I gave my older brother one Christmas when I was in high…
A Christmas Visitor
On Christmas Eve, 1944, a man known as “Old Brinker” lay dying in a prison hospital, waiting for the makeshift Christmas service led by fellow prisoners. “When does the music start?” he asked William McDougall, who was imprisoned with him in Muntok Prison in Sumatra. “Soon,” replied McDougall. “Good,” replied the dying man. “Then I’ll be able to compare them with the angels.”
Although decades earlier Brinker had moved away from his faith in God, in his dying days he confessed his sins and found peace with Him. Instead of greeting others with a sour look, he would smile, which “was…
A String of Yeses
One Christmas, my grandmother gave me a beautiful pearl necklace. The lustrous globes glowed about my neck until one day the string broke. Balls bounced in all directions off our home’s hardwood flooring. Crawling over the planks, I recovered each tiny orb. On their own, they were small. But oh, when strung together, those pearls made such an impression!
Sometimes my yeses to God seem so insignificant—like those individual pearls. I compare myself to Mary, the mother of Jesus who was so fantastically obedient. She said yes when she embraced God’s call for her to carry the Messiah. “‘I am the…
The Giver’s Delight
Remember Tickle Me Elmo? Cabbage Patch Kids? The Furby? What do they have in common? Each rank among the twenty most popular Christmas gifts of all time. Also included on the list are familiar favorites such as Monopoly, the Nintendo Game Boy, and Wii.
We all delight in bestowing gifts at Christmas, but that is nothing compared to God’s delight in bestowing the first Christmas Gift. This gift came in the form of a baby, born in a Bethlehem manger (Luke 2:7).
Despite His humble birth, the Child’s arrival was proclaimed by an angel who declared, “I bring you good news that…
Gifts from Above
According to an old story, a man born in 270 AD named Nicholas heard about a father who was so poor that he couldn’t feed his three daughters, much less provide for their future marriages. Wanting to assist the father, but hoping to keep his help a secret, Nicholas threw a bag of gold through an open window, which landed in a sock or shoe drying on the hearth. That man was known as St. Nicholas, who later became the inspiration for Santa Claus.
When I heard that story of a gift coming down from above, I thought of God the…
Jesus Was Laid In The Tomb
On Easter, we celebrate the day when Jesus conquered the grave and rose from the dead. But there would be no Easter Sunday if not for Good Friday. Today on Discover the Word, we imagine the somber scene that took place as Jesus was laid in the tomb. Join us for a special Good Friday edition of Discover […]
The Torn Veil
It was a dark and somber day in the outskirts of Jerusalem. On a hill just outside the city walls, a Man who’d been attracting crowds of eager followers for the past three years hung in disgrace and pain on a rough wooden cross. Mourners wept and wailed in sorrow. The light of the sun no longer brightened the afternoon sky. And the intense suffering of the Man on the cross ended when He cried out in a loud voice, “It is finished!” (Matthew 27:50; John 19:30).
At that very moment, another sound came from the great temple across town—the sound…
Submitting To Death On The Cross
Jesus could literally have done anything He wanted—performed any miracle. Yet He chose to submit to death on a cross and all the pain that went with it. Today on Discover the Word, we consider the terrible suffering that Jesus endured during his final moments on the cross. It’s another conversation in their series “Cross Stations,” today on Discover […]
Jesus Cares For His Mother
Few things are more heartbreaking than experiencing the death of a child. And even as He hung on the cross, Jesus tried to comfort His grieving mother. Today on Discover the Word, we look at the final moments between Jesus and His mother, Mary. Join us for another “Cross Station,” today on Discover the Word!
One On His Right And One On His Left
On the day of His death, Jesus hung on a cross between two criminals. But even the criminals could tell Jesus didn’t belong there. Today on Discover the Word, we examine the interactions Jesus had with the two men hanging on either side of Him. Pull up a chair to the table, today on Discover the Word!
Jesus Addresses The Women Who Mourn
In Jesus’s day, it was common for women to be marginalized and undervalued. But Jesus made a special effort to include them. Today on Discover the Word, we look at a surprising conversation between Jesus and a group of mourning women on His way to the cross. The group continues their series “Cross Stations” today on Discover the […]
Jesus Carries His Cross
Jesus was forced to carry His own cross to His execution at Calvary. But in truth, that piece of wood symbolized so much more. Today on Discover the Word, we consider the full weight of what Jesus was carrying. It truly was “the way of suffering—the Via Dolorosa.” The team continues the series titled, “Cross Stations” today on Discover […]
Preparing Our Hearts For Easter
The suffering that Jesus endured on the cross is unimaginable. But His path leading up to the crucifixion at Calvary wasn’t any less painful. Today on Discover the Word, the team will discuss what Jesus suffered as He made His way to the cross. It’s a sobering conversation to prepare our hearts for Easter, today on Discover the Word!
