Tag Archives: birth of Jesus

Max Lucado: I think the World is hungry to hear what makes the birth of Jesus so special from any other theological paradigm

Nativity

Important Takeaways:

  • Pastor and author Max Lucado believes there’s a profound “uniqueness” at the heart of the Christmas story that sets it apart from any other theological paradigm.
  • “The uniqueness of the Christian faith is that we believe in a God who came to us before we went to Him,” Lucado recently told CBN Digital. “Every other theology, philosophy, every other approach to God says, ‘Do this and maybe God will notice you or accept you.’ It’s a relationship based on performance.”
  • But when it comes to Jesus and the Christmas story, the preacher said we’re very literally celebrating a God who chose to come to us before “we even knew we needed him.”
  • “He was here not in the form of a volcano, lightning bolt, or angry prophet, but He was here in the form of a baby, He was here in the form of an embryo, He was here in the form of a seed,” he said. “And He could not have condescended more, He could have not have gone further, and not only that, He was born in humility, not born in a castle in Rome, or some villa in Greece, but He condescended himself to the home of a simple carpenter.”
  • Beyond that, Lucado noted Jesus’ decision to live in “obscurity and anonymity” for the first 30 years of His life, pointing to Jesus’ humility and grace as other powerful differentiators of the Christian faith.
  • “He is the picture of grace, God entering our world, finding us, seeking us out,” he said. “And so I just never get tired of that story. I love telling it. I love hearing it. I love looking for new ways to share it.”
  • “Given what the world is going through right now, don’t we need a reminder of a God … who comes looking for us?” Lucado said, calling the state of the world “fragile.” “I think the world is hungry.”

Read the original article by clicking here.

Pope Shocks Parents At Live Nativity Scene

The Church of St. Alfonzo Maria del Liguori on the outskirts of Rome had over 200 people come out for a live nativity scene on Sunday.

All of those people along with everyone participating in the event were shocked when a 1984 Renault 4 parked and Pope Francis climbed from the driver’s seat.

Father Dario Criscuoli, the parish priest who organized the large-scale nativity scene that included live animals, had invited the Pope to the nativity. The priest was as surprised as the congregants by the Pope’s sudden appearance.

“The pope was so happy. He told me “Keep it up. Don’t get discouraged,” Criscuoli told the Daily Independent.

The Pope walked around the ground shaking hands but clearly was focused on approaching the manger where 2-month-old baby Francesco was portraying the Baby Jesus. Francesco had been baptized in the church that morning and the Pope picked him up and gave a special blessing to the child.

The Pope then called on everyone to pray for the children born in 2014 and especially for their grandparents, whom the Pope called “the source of wisdom.”

Anti-Christian Group Drives Air Force To Remove Nativity

The anti-Christian group Military Religious Freedom Foundation has forced the Air Force to remove a nativity scene from Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina.

The plastic nativity scene included traditional Christmas elements like Mary, Joseph, assorted animals and Baby Jesus. According to the MRFF, the site emotionally troubled some Airmen from the base.

The Air Force removed the display within hours of the anti-Christian group contacting the Pentagon.

Shaw Air Force Base’s public affairs office did not return calls to Fox News’ Todd Starnes for comment about why they removed the display. However, Fox News’ commentator Sarah Palin said the action was not surprising.

“We see stories like this every day and yet leftwing pundits still claim that the so-called ‘War on Christmas’ is a figment of the imagination,” Palin told Starnes. “The War on Christmas is just the top of the spear in a larger battle to marginalize expressions of faith and make true religious freedom a thing of the past.”

Sequel to “The Bible” Miniseries To Be Major Motion Picture

The producers of the acclaimed “The Bible” miniseries have announced the sequel to that production will be a feature film called “Son of God” and will release in theaters on February 28, 2014.

The film will show a detailed account the life of Jesus from his birth through his teachings and to his resurrection.

“We are very excited to be working with Twentieth Century Fox to release ‘Son of God’ as a major motion picture,” said Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, producers of “The Bible,” in a statement. “We responded to an overwhelming demand for the greatest story ever told to be seen as a shared experience on the big screen. The result is a beautiful stand-alone movie. It’s the story of Jesus for a whole new generation.”

The film has been screened for many influential pastors across the world and has received almost universal acclaim for showing not only the passion of the cross but also Jesus’ resurrection and the meaning of the empty tomb.

“It is a powerful and poignant movie, the best Jesus movie I have ever seen…I know it will be a blessing to millions when it opens all across America,” Pastor Rick Warren told the Christian Post in a statement.

The Joy of the Birth of Jesus!

There’s nothing that compares to the joy of the birth of a new baby.  This week, we’ve been blessed with the greatest blessing a family can have – a new baby!  Little Lori gave birth to a baby girl, Olivia, on December 20th!  To say that we are excited is an understatement.  We are elated!

To have this birth happen at Christmastime is a double blessing for our family because we also love to celebrate the birth of Jesus!  When Jesus was born, He was received with great joy because many knew of His mission to be the Savior of the world.  But before all the joy, there was to be great sorrow in what he would endure on the Cross.

In John 16:20-22, this is recorded:  I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.

I can promise you that before Olivia was born, Little Lori suffered in labor to bring her forth.  But, the moment she was born, there was only one emotion in that room – JOY!

Jesus suffered tremendously here on this earth – even going to the Cross so He could give all of those who would receive His sacrifice NEW BIRTH!  Now that’s something to celebrate and be joyful for!

Jesus Brought Joy even before He was Born

Even before Jesus was born, He brought joy to the world.  Luke records this in chapter 1:  But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth…”

John the Baptist was born to announce the coming of the Christ Child, Jesus!  

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.  Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?  When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. New Living Translation

The Word of Jesus’ Birth brings JOY!

Matthew records in chapter 2: And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!  They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. New Living Translation

News of Jesus’ birth brings Joy to the shepherds!

Luke records in chapter 2: That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.  The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! New Living Translation

Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the Temple!

Luke records in chapter 2: At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. New Living Translation

Jesus brings Joy to His Father in Heaven!

Matthew records in chapter 3:  After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”  New Living Translation

 

We are to be filled with Joy!

Philippians 4:4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. New Living Translation

Always remember this…

Nehemiah 8:10: And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”  New Living Translation

Blessing study

Luke 6:21-23: Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. KJV

Phil 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord…

KJV

Phil 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

KJV

1 Thess 5:16  Rejoice evermore.

KJV