"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11 NKJV)The angels announced "good tidings of great joy" because the solution to humanity's greatest problem had arrived. True joy is different from happiness. Happiness depends on what happens - the happenstances of life. Happiness depends on circumstances, but joy depends on Jesus.Paul said "rejoice...  Read More

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:14 NKJV)The angels proclaimed peace on earth, but this world still knows war and conflict. The peace Jesus brought is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God in the midst of trouble. It's peace with God that leads to peace in our hearts.Romans 5:1 says, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have pe...  Read More

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14 NKJV)The greatest miracle of Christmas is not the birth of Jesus, but the incarnation itself - that God became man. Jesus is completely God and completely man. Though all illustrations break down at some point with reference to God, when I was...  Read More

"She will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21 NKJV)Even before Jesus was born, His mission was clear. The angel told Joseph what the Child's name would be and why: Jesus, because He would save His people from their sins. The name Jesus means "Jehovah saves" or "the Lord saves."We celebrate the Baby in the manger because w...  Read More

"And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:7 NKJV)The inn had no room for the Son of God. The Creator of the universe was born in a stable because the inn could not accommodate Him. But this wasn't an accident - it was part of God's plan to show that Jesus came for the humble and ou...  Read More

"Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this child" (Luke 2:17 NKJV)The shepherds were given a story, and they understood it was meant to be shared. After encountering Christ, they became the first evangelists. God has given us a story as well - the gift of our testimony.I remember pastoring a woman in North Carolina who went through multiple h...  Read More

"But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19 NKJV)While the shepherds immediately shared what they had experienced, Mary had a different response. She treasured all these events in her heart, quietly pondering their meaning. Luke the historian asked Mary about these details, and several times it says Mary "treasured these things in her heart."That word "pondered" mean...  Read More

"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him" (Matthew 2:2 NKJV)The wise men traveled great distances and faced significant challenges to find Jesus, and when they found Him, they worshiped. It took them about three months to get from Persia to Bethlehem. This required great financial sacrifice, but they were searching.These wi...  Read More

"Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people'" (Luke 2:10 NKJV)The first words from heaven when Jesus was born were "Do not be afraid." The shepherds were used to the fields, the cold, everything about their line of work, but they were not used to the glory of God bursting through the darkness.Jesus came to remove ou...  Read More

"Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife" (Matthew 1:24 NKJV)Joseph understood that Mary was pregnant, and he was confused. This was a surprise calling for the confused Joseph. He was so just and righteous and he knew he wasn't the father, but he loved Mary and didn't want to mistreat her. So he decided to put her away quietly.But ...  Read More

"Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people" (Luke 2:10 NKJV)Every time an angel appears, the first thing out of their mouth is "Don't be afraid." There was a little boy in a first-grade Christmas pageant who had one line: "It is I, be not afraid." But on the day of the pageant, he got nervous and said, "It's me, and I'm scared to death!"The ang...  Read More

"Then Mary said, 'Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.' And the angel departed from her" (Luke 1:38 NKJV)If we were planning the birth of the King of Kings, I highly doubt we would choose a teenage girl in Nazareth, a lowly village. We would find a royal family, a wealthy family that would provide support for the Chosen Messiah. Yet God's plan was to bypass t...  Read More