Three big hints
Jesus is the Savior. All religions and worldviews outside of Christianity have one thing in common: God is not the savior. Either you are your own savior, or there’s no savior at all. ...
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The Last Words of Christ in Heaven
It is pure speculation to assert these were the last words of Christ before He became a baby in the womb of Mary. But they may have been! ...
Messiah
By the time that Mary gave birth, hope in God’s promises for forgiveness and deliverance from the empire had reached a fever pitch. Some were looking for a beneficent dictator. Others expected a high-profile miracle worker. Others hoped that a famous prophet like Elijah had come with a spectacular message....
Looking at the Big Picture and Finding Hope
That first Christmas; all eyes were on Augustus, the cynical Caesar who demanded a census so as to determine a measurement to increase taxes even further. At that time who was interested in a young couple making an eighty-mile trip south from Nazareth? ...
The Way
We don’t have the insight to find the right path, nor the inner power to walk it. That’s why Jesus’s disciple Thomas admitted that he didn’t know the way, even though he was close to the Master. ...
Fatherly
Unrecognized. Unseen. Undiscovered. Nobody knows. Nobody sees. Nobody cares. As long as there is plenty of food, lots of cheer, a plethora of tinsel, and a cornucopia of gifts, everyone’s happy. Jesus? Who’s that?...
Given by God
To fully cherish Christ this Advent season, we must first understand God’s motive in giving his son to us! This answer can be found in the familiar and most famous verse in our Bible. John 3:16 says… “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son...” ...
His Shoulders
No prince or president could out-politic him, nor pompous military power subdues him, it's Christ’s call. He can carry upon his shoulders the weight of the sin of the world. He is surely able to carry our daily burdens. What good news!...
Wise Counselor
Have you trusted in unwise counsel? The Lord is inviting you to call upon him today for a fresh sense of his power and presence through the Holy Spirit, who serves as your counselor. James 1:5 is God’s guarantee for you ...
Everlasting Father
USA Today, did a special on Gertrude Weaver. She was born in 1898, making her the oldest woman in the world. She is from the good ole south, Arkansas. At 117 years old you could say she watched the world change. She was alive before there was the Ford automobile, she was alive before there was a Hitler or a man on the moon. She was there to see the world change. Think about God, theologically. He created the world and changed the world. He is eternal; he is before age. He cannot be numbered nor counted....
Listen again for the first time
Luke 2:8–21 is perhaps the most familiar passage in all Scriptures. Linus reads it every Christmas for the Charlie Brown television special. Almost every church has a nativity scene stashed somewhere. ...
Keep ReadingThe glorious announcement for an unlikely audience
Have you ever wondered what people thought of shepherds in Jesus’ day? People thought shepherds were odd. They lived by themselves, outside of town, sleeping in the open, and surrounded by animals all the time. Their reputation was less than stellar...
Keep ReadingJesus is like us and unlike us
Jesus’ birth is historical: Christianity is based on fact. It is theological: God entered humanity in order to save us. Finally, it is biographical: What does Jesus’ birth mean for you and me? What does this possibly have to do with our life?...
Keep ReadingThe theological meaning of Jesus’ birth, part 2
Today, we conclude answering some of the most common questions regarding God entering history as the man Jesus Christ. The truth is Jesus was fully man and fully God. He lived life perfectly as a man, to serve as our example and a flawless substitute sacrifice in our place. ...
Keep ReadingThe theological meaning of Jesus’ birth, part 1
In order to describe the theological significance of Jesus’ birth, theologians like to use the word incarnation. It comes from the Latin meaning “in the flesh.” Incarnation refers to the Christian doctrine that God, who is spirit, took upon Himself human flesh and came as the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ....
Keep ReadingThe historical facts of Jesus’ birth
Luke introduces us to Augustus Caesar, who was ruling at the time that Jesus was born. Augustus Caesar was a very important political leader who ruled over the Roman Empire, one of the most prominent, longstanding, far-reaching empires in the history of the world. He was the adoptive son of Julius Caesar. ...
Keep ReadingNOT 1, NOT 2, BUT 3 PRAYER TEAMS
God, Jesus Christ, and the abiding guidance of the Holy Spirit are walking through our community and NVCC is prepared to welcome folks with open arms and the Love that can only come from The Living Son of God. See you on Christmas Eve. Keep on Praying!...
Keep ReadingThe birth of Jesus Christ
Every Christmas, cards start arriving in the mailbox and songs echo at the mall with the word “Immanuel.” But what does that mean?...
Keep ReadingReplace anxiety with history
Mary has two options in light of all that has happened in her life. She can either give in to anxiety, or she can focus on history: What has God done?...
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