The Magi demonstrate a sort of observance and obedience that is shocking to most of us.  Their worship of Jesus is founded upon who Jesus is, and their gifts to him produce a unique challenge for us as we too worship Jesus at Christmas.

Our picture of Christmastime has affected some of the terms, titles and themes that belong to Jesus.  When Matthew ascribes to the newborn the prophecy of "Immanuel" he does so from a unique historical context that might help us in our worship of the incarnated Christ.

The church is in a war.  If you follow Jesus you are being hunted, and our enemy is relentless. Often times the greatest victory of our adversary isn't very obvious, and unless we are prepared for battle, it's very likely that we will either completely miss or misplace the attacks.

The most important subsection of the church is the family.  In fact, the family is the most fundamental unit of all of society - this is why it is under constant attack by the forces of evil.  In Christlike fashion, the answer to such an attack isn't in kind, but rather victory is won with Godly submission.

"Having the eyes of your heart enlightened" means we can no longer live in the dark.  Through Jesus, God has given His people an illumination of truth so that we are shown the path of a life characterized by righteousness.

God has given us an agent of change, a helper to renew and direct us as we grow: the Holy Spirit.  It is this Spirit that resurrects our spirit and can then serve to reorient our minds and thoughts onto service and submission to God's will and purpose.

The church is designed by God to serve with a multidimensionality that benefits the whole and honors the Head.  No one part is greater than another, and yet it is so easy to miss the purpose of diversity that it can accidentally lead to division.  Only when each part serves the Head will we be truly unified.

When it comes to God's design for the church, the scriptures will repeatedly use terminology that shapes her purpose as a family.  It is this familial commitment that serves as the scaffold for the rest of the New Testament’s commands for how we are to treat one another.

God's design for exacting His will upon the earth is the church.  She is to be a redeemed humanity whose members orient their lives after the lead and love of Jesus.  How critical is it for us then, to make sure that we do not allow the "church" to become a sterile institution or a one-hour-a-week service that remains cursory to the multifaceted lives of Christians. We must know God's plan for the community of believers.

The church is intended to be cross-cultural, international, and yet somehow singleminded. For all of the complexities between different tribes and traditions, it is the gospel of Jesus Christ that has brought the nations together, so that the life of Christ would be evident upon the earth.  Observations & Conclusions: Purpose – Without Jesus                 – With Jesus    Estranged                           Adopted […]