Tag Archives: Christmas story

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.

Smells like heaven: Israeli farm recreates Magi’s gifts to Jesus

A visitor walks in the cave, where Virgin Mary is believed to have given birth to Jesus, inside the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem December 12, 2017.

By Rinat Harash

ALMOG, West Bank (Reuters) – The aromatic plants bestowed on the infant Jesus are being cultivated by an Israeli entrepreneur who aims to transform the gifts of the Christmas story into therapeutic balms and incense.

Manger aside, the baby Jesus may have been swaddled in pleasant and pricey fragrances, thanks to the presents that the Bible says were given to him by the Wise Men of the East.

The frankincense (pungent and sweet) and myrrh (sharp and piney) recounted in the Gospel of St Matthew are being grown by Guy Erlich, a businessman who hopes to revive the rare plants’ use for commercial ends.

And what about gold, the third gift brought by the Magi according to the New Testament story?

Some Christians believe this refers to the precious amber resin of the Balsam of Gilead, an aromatic mix resembling citrus and cinnamon that Erlich also cultivates on his farm in the Judean desert.

“I see myself as a modern Magus,” he told Reuters.

“I decided to focus on plants that no one else in the world grows. Since those plants, those medical plants of the Bible were in medical use for so many years, there must be something about them and it is our duty to look for it.”

Dried and crushed resins of all three plants smolder in a nearby censer, filling the air with heavenly smells of fruity freshness.

Guy Erlich, an Israeli entrepreneur, taps a frankincense plant at a plantation in Kibbutz Almog, Judean desert, in the West Bank, November 30, 2017.

Guy Erlich, an Israeli entrepreneur, taps a frankincense plant at a plantation in Kibbutz Almog, Judean desert, in the West Bank, November 30, 2017. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

Such smoke was used for religious rites and fumigation in ancient times. The plants have also been known to produce balms, poultices and perfumes. The Balsam of Gilead resin, Erlich says, was used as the oil with which biblical kings were anointed.

Archaeologists doubt the claim that it could be identified as the Magi’s gold, and attribute the origins of this theory to Christian evangelical circles.

But Christianity scholar Yisca Harani explains it may be plausible in at least a literary way, if there was a translation inaccuracy of the word “gold”.

“Maybe it was this very precious Balm of Gilead. Maybe it was another statement from Biblical times saying these are the perfumes that are typical of the prophecies of God, these are the gifts of the land.”

Prof. Shimshon Ben Yehoshua, from the Volcani Agricultural Research Centre and the Hebrew University’s Faculty of Agriculture, says Erlich’s plants are most likely the same as those from ancient times.

“For the frankincense and myrrh which I believe are similar to the ones that were growing in the past in Israel, those are many species but I believe that the species he (Guy Erlich) grew has the desirable qualities,” he told Reuters.

In addition to Christians interested in sampling the scents, Erlich says he has been fielding inquiries from pious Jews who thrill at the prospect of recreating the incenses that were burnt in their Roman-era temple in Jerusalem.

“My plants are sacred to all religions,” he said. “Now they can be a uniting factor. They can be a common ground. They can connect people.”

(Writing by Dan Williams, Editing by William Maclean)

The Christmas Story (Part 1)

Hello Everyone!

Each year about this time, I like to remind families how important it is to tell the Christmas story to our little ones.  Even the older ones love to hear the true Christmas story about the birth of Jesus.  The Christmas story is paraphrased below from the New Testament Books of Matthew and Luke in the Bible.  It will be told here in 4 parts.  Be sure you print them and keep them to read to the children at your family gathering this Christmas!

Love,

Continue reading →

The Christmas Story (Part 1)

Hello Everyone!

Each year about this time, I like to remind families how important it is to tell the Christmas story to our little ones.  Even the older ones love to hear the true Christmas story about the birth of Jesus.  The Christmas story is paraphrased below from the New Testament Books of Matthew and Luke in the Bible.  It will be told here in 4 parts.  Be sure you print them and keep them to read to the children at your family gathering this Christmas!

Love,

 

 

 

 

The Story of Baby Jesus

Part One

A long time ago, in the town of Nazareth, lived a young woman named Mary.  Mary did her chores, was kind to others, and loved God very much.  She was engaged to be married to Joseph, who was a carpenter.

One day, while Mary was at home cleaning her room, an angel suddenly appeared.  Before Mary could say anything the angel told Mary that she was favored by God, and that God was with her.

Mary was surprised.  She was trying not to be afraid, but she had never seen an angel before.  After all, Mary was just a regular lady like you or I.  Why was this angel visiting her?  What did the angel want?

The angel quickly tried to reassure Mary, “Do not be afraid!”  the angel said.  “God has found favor with you.  You will have a baby boy, and are to give him the name Jesus.”

Mary was confused, she was not yet married to Joseph, so how could she have a baby?  The angel thought that this might concern Mary so he said, “The Holy Spirit will perform a miracle, and because of this your baby will be called  the Son of God.”

To Mary’s surprise the angel had more exciting news;  “Even your cousin Elizabeth is going to have a son in her old age.  Many thought that she couldn’t have children, but she is already pregnant.  Nothing is impossible with God.”

Mary couldn’t believe what she was hearing, she didn’t know what to say.  She realized that she was trembling, and knelt down.  When she was finally able to speak she said, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I hope everything you have said will come true.”

The angel then disappeared, and Mary was left alone.

Soon after, Joseph found out that Mary was going to have a baby.  Joseph was confused and upset by this. But an angel came to him in a dream and said, “Joseph do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.  The child Mary is going to have is God’s son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.”

When Joseph woke up he remembered what the angel had said.  He knew that everything was okay, and he wasn’t upset anymore.

In those days the government decided that they should count everyone that lived in that area of the world.  So Joseph had to take Mary to his town, Bethlehem to register.

It took Mary and Joseph a long time to get to Bethlehem.  They didn’t have cars back then, so it probably took them a lot longer to get there.  This was very tiring for Mary because she was soon going to have a baby.

When they reached the town, all the hotels were full and there was nowhere that they could stay.  Finally, someone felt bad for them, and offered them a place to stay.

The Bible doesn’t say for sure where they stayed but most people think that they stayed in a small barn where animals were kept.  In any case, doesn’t it seem strange that Jesus, the King of the Jews wasn’t born in a fancy palace or even a hospital?

Mary and Joseph were thankful that they at least had a place to lay down.  It was warm, and there was plenty of straw to lay on.

That night an exciting, wonderful thing happened.  Mary and Joseph had a baby!  But it wasn’t just any baby, it was Baby Jesus!  The creator of the whole world, the King of Kings, the one who would save the world.

The little baby boy fell asleep in Mary’s arms and she wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger on some clean straw.

Mary and Joseph soon fell asleep, they were so glad to have this special baby join their family.

The Christmas Story – Part 2
The Christmas Story – Part 3
The Christmas Story – Part 4

The Christmas Story

Hello Everyone!

Each year about this time, I like to remind families how important it is to tell the Christmas story to our little ones.  Even the older ones love to hear the true Christmas story about the birth of Jesus.  The Christmas story is paraphrased below from the New Testament Books of Matthew and Luke in the Bible.  It will be told here in 4 parts.  Be sure you print them and keep them to read to the children at your family gathering this Christmas!

Love,

Lori Signature

The Story of Baby Jesus

Part One

A long time ago, in the town of Nazareth, lived a young woman named Mary.  Mary did her chores, was kind to others, and loved God very much.  She was engaged to be married to Joseph, who was a carpenter.

One day, while Mary was at home cleaning her room, an angel suddenly appeared.  Before Mary could say anything the angel told Mary that she was favored by God, and that God was with her.

Mary was surprised.  She was trying not to be afraid, but she had never seen an angel before.  After all, Mary was just a regular lady like you or I.  Why was this angel visiting her?  What did the angel want?

The angel quickly tried to reassure Mary, “Do not be afraid!”  the angel said.  “God has found favor with you.  You will have a baby boy, and are to give him the name Jesus.”

Mary was confused, she was not yet married to Joseph, so how could she have a baby?  The angel thought that this might concern Mary so he said, “The Holy Spirit will perform a miracle, and because of this your baby will be called  the Son of God.”

To Mary’s surprise the angel had more exciting news;  “Even your cousin Elizabeth is going to have a son in her old age.  Many thought that she couldn’t have children, but she is already pregnant.  Nothing is impossible with God.”

Mary couldn’t believe what she was hearing, she didn’t know what to say.  She realized that she was trembling, and knelt down.  When she was finally able to speak she said, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I hope everything you have said will come true.”

The angel then disappeared, and Mary was left alone.

Soon after, Joseph found out that Mary was going to have a baby.  Joseph was confused and upset by this. But an angel came to him in a dream and said, “Joseph do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.  The child Mary is going to have is God’s son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.”

When Joseph woke up he remembered what the angel had said.  He knew that everything was okay, and he wasn’t upset anymore.

In those days the government decided that they should count everyone that lived in that area of the world.  So Joseph had to take Mary to his town, Bethlehem to register.

It took Mary and Joseph a long time to get to Bethlehem.  They didn’t have cars back then, so it probably took them a lot longer to get there.  This was very tiring for Mary because she was soon going to have a baby.

When they reached the town, all the hotels were full and there was nowhere that they could stay.  Finally, someone felt bad for them, and offered them a place to stay.

The Bible doesn’t say for sure where they stayed but most people think that they stayed in a small barn where animals were kept.  In any case, doesn’t it seem strange that Jesus, the King of the Jews wasn’t born in a fancy palace or even a hospital?

Mary and Joseph were thankful that they at least had a place to lay down.  It was warm, and there was plenty of straw to lay on.

That night an exciting, wonderful thing happened.  Mary and Joseph had a baby!  But it wasn’t just any baby, it was Baby Jesus!  The creator of the whole world, the King of Kings, the one who would save the world.

The little baby boy fell asleep in Mary’s arms and she wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger on some clean straw.

Mary and Joseph soon fell asleep, they were so glad to have this special baby join their family.

The Christmas Story – Part 2
The Christmas Story – Part 3
The Christmas Story – Part 4